Comment Make-Like Air Brakes (Score 1) 181
Here is an engineering solution if you HAVE to have them:
Make the retraction like an air brake - which operate on the REMOVAL of the air holding them open. The default position is ON. ONLY when their is pressure in the system does the door handle retract i.e. only when the engine is engaged. You can add the option to initiate - only when their is no one actually in the car.
A physically broken system will just work. :-)
yMmv.