Not only did the Model S receive the highest rating ever recorded for a car, and beat most SUVs and minivans, but:
While the exact number is uncertain due to Model S breaking the testing machine, what this means is that at least four additional fully loaded Model S vehicles could be placed on top of an owner's car without the roof caving in.
It may be worth noting that US vehicle safety tests aren't that stringent and most European cars, which might blitz the test just like the Tesla did, are unavailable in the US.
DTS wrote:It may be worth noting that US vehicle safety tests aren't that stringent and most European cars, which might blitz the test just like the Tesla did, are unavailable in the US.
DTS wrote:It may be worth noting that US vehicle safety tests aren't that stringent and most European cars, which might blitz the test just like the Tesla did, are unavailable in the US.
Wouldn't Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Audi, Fiat, and the rest of the list available in the USA be required to pass the same tests?
I know they have different requirements for side impacts and frontal tests
The Euro tests impact at the average speed of accidents in the Europe (40mph) where in America impacts are at the national speed limit which is slower n all, Yank ncap have full frontal impacts which isn't as reliable as an offset impact because in a crash the force won't be loaded equally between 2 crumple zones. There's also issues surrounding pedestrian protection, bumper / door heights need to be different to receive full marks in the euro ncap and they only included a side impact with a pole test in 2011 which Euro Ncap introduced many moons ago. Also the Australian ANCAP has now started adopting the Euro NCAP after using the US rating system since it was 1st introduced.
There's other things like Cars in the Euro Ncap also receive points deductions if chest compression exceed 20mm in an accident, in the American version anything upto 50mm is acceptable.
U.S. testing, on the other hand, is often deemed somewhat behind the times. Both Euro NCAP and Australia's ANCAP testing procedures have done away with the full-width frontal impact test in favor of the offset frontal impact. Both have also added a 'pole test', which impacts the car from the side with a steel pole. In Australia, the bonus points scored by cars that fare will in this test are necessary to score five stars. A failure results in a maximum possible of four stars.
The NHTSA requires neither a unique test nor ESC, relying only on the crash data itself to justify its star ratings. For a five-star NHTSA rating, the occupants must be exposed to a 10% or less chance of serious bodily injury. Unlike the NHTSA, the IIHS performs offset impact testing, and the NHTSA recommends drivers compare both ratings to get a feel for the overall safety picture of their vehicle.
If you wanna see the difference between the 2 frontal tests n all -
This is the full frontal impact and received 5 stars from the NTHSA, ignore the unbelted dummies it's the best I could find :/
This was done by another American rating firm that uses the same crash test as the euros and was labelled a death trap
[color=red] . : [/color][size=85] You knows you knows [/size]
