Why Are Automatic Doors Important?

Despite the first automatic sliding doors being invented in 1954 by Lew Hewitt and Dee Horton; with the first one was installed in 1960 we are still seeing that many buildings aren’t using them.

The idea of automatic doors came around in the mid-1950s when they saw manual swing doors were difficult to use in the strong winds of Corpus Christi, Texas. For years people have relied on automatic doors for more than just easy operation and it is still an oddity to think that businesses aren’t using them.

Here’s why ALL businesses and applicable building should have pedestrian automatic doors…


Automatic doors require no contact with the users (other than push pad doors) meaning no germs can be spread via touching door handles. According to The New England Journal of Medicine states, “The longest viability of both viruses was on stainless steel and plastic; the estimated median half-life of SARS-CoV-2 was approximately 5.6 hours on stainless steel and 6.8 hours on plastic.” This does not exist with automatic doors.


The Disability and Discrimination Act Part 3, Provision of Services, became law on the 1st October 2004. From this date, the requirements for service providers to make “Reasonable adjustments” to their buildings to ensure disabled people can access services was changed.

This essentially means that disabled people should be able to get inside buildings, move around freely once inside and exit in a safe way. This covers a range of requirements and could mean wider doorways, auto door operators, audio information, adequate wayfinding and level access or lift access.



In relation to the last point, automatic doors help the disabled with independence and freedom. Wheelchair users now no longer need to rely on others to enter and exit buildings giving them access to what able-bodied people do too. To expect the disabled community (which is approximately 6.9 million of us) to have to ask people to open doors for them, or even not go out at all because of feeling discriminated against, lacks humanity and needs to change.



With only 17% of older people in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week, 11% are in contact less than once a month (Victor et al, 2003). Meaning a huge population of older people are lonely.




Automatic doors are a big help to those with pushchairs, those with children and anyone who may have their hands full.

It is customer service from the word go as soon as someone gets to a place of business so it should be easy to access.



Places such as music venues, theatres, cinemas, educational facilities, leisure centres, shopping centres and more are more likely to increase their customer traffic if there is a steady flow of people coming in and out of the building. No one likes a crowd after all! 






Studies have shown that those businesses with automatic doors are perceived by consumers to have a higher quality of service. It also looks modern and efficient.

Ensure when you have automatic doors installed, that they are done so by an ADIA member with a BS EN16005, City & Guilds Accreditation (CSCS)

Sources – Technovelgy, Alpro, Buildings.com.

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