5 ms·

Tesla's Model S fails to ace some tests in IIHS evaluation

18 points by pulse7 9y ago

JamesMcMinn 9y ago
Model S "only" gets second highest rating in a single test. The headline is not only wrong (it aced all but one test, so didn't fall to ace "some tests"), but seems designed to make it sound much worse than the report actually suggests.
- nicoboo 9y ago
  It's mainly part of a campaign against EV, so here, even wording is carefully chosen to bring this sentiment. Not really surprised by some recent news on those subject.
  - rjdagost 9y ago
    Tesla has repeatedly boasted that the Model S is the "safest car ever made". It has been a focal point of their marketing for some time. So when there's evidence to the contrary it makes for great headlines- I wouldn't call it a campaign against EVs in general.
    - aidos 9y ago
      Is there another car that aces all the tests? Edit found a bit more info here http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/in-the-best-light-2017-top-safety-pick-winners-meet-new-headlight-criteria http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/in-the-best-light-...
      - arethuza 9y ago
        In the Euro NCAP ratings the Model S seems to do well (5 stars) but there are a fair number of cars that do even better. https://www.euroncap.com/en https://www.euroncap.com/en
      - Vik1ng 9y ago
        Mercedes E-Class
- pvg 9y ago
  You can read the IIHS's own release here: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/three-large-cars-join-ranks-of-iihs-top-safety-pick-winners http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/three-large-cars-j... The Reuters summary omits some details but is more neutral. The headline is neither wrong nor designed to make the report sound worse than it is.
- serg_chernata 9y ago
  > fails to ace some tests > plural But the article only mentions one imperfect score. I have to agree with you - click bait.
- gambiting 9y ago
  To be fair, to quote from the article: "In the test, the seat belt in Tesla's Model S was not effective and could lead to the driver's head striking the steering wheel hard through the air bag, according to the report." I don't understand how this is a "second highest score" instead of a complete fail?
  - thrillgore 9y ago
    Agreed, the seat belt is pretty damn significant to passenger safety, the car should be outright given 1 star. Tesla would immediately respond with a recall.
    - gambiting 9y ago
      It's not even like it's new technology, seat belts should never ever fail.
  - babyrainbow 9y ago
    That is hilarious! I mean, seriously. I mean, if that is how their seat belt work, I am pretty sure their "autopilot" would be out of this world/s (or take you out of this world..)
  - jcranberry 9y ago
    They may have run a battery of tests and it's likelihood of happening is low. I wonder if the test results are publicly available.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
rightnow 9y ago
Why is this even here?
rootlocus 9y ago
> The vehicles must stop or slow down without driver intervention before hitting a target in tests at 12 or 25 miles per hour among other factors, IIHS said. I'm curious how the Tesla Model S behaved and why they decided it was "only acceptable".
- AlphaWeaver 9y ago
  The article explains that the seatbelt was somehow inadequate and caused the driver's head to hit the steering wheel hard through the airbag.
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    Looking on the bright side that means it's probably not the kind of airbag that puts people in the hospital when they would have otherwise walked away.
aidos 9y ago
I believe this is the video of the test. 40 mph into wall. Car safety has come a long way! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMcuiFmIQTo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMcuiFmIQTo
- dsfyu404ed 9y ago
  That doesn't look good to me. It's no accident that the vehicles someone else posted a link to glance off the barrier in the partial overlap. edit: For example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnRIwQn9SA8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnRIwQn9SA8
dsfyu404ed 9y ago
This is sort of unrelated to the main point of the article: >In order to get the top IIHS rating, automakers must have a frontal crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities to prevent a rear-end collision. >The IIHS is a research arm of the insurance industry This reminds me that one should always be aware of where the money is coming from. A frontal impact is a frontal impact. IIHS wants to see cars that don't let the driver rear end other cars because that's what the people who pay them want to see.
- exabrial 9y ago
  Yep. Every single one of those commercials that demonstrate the automatic breaking also feature the driver breaking the law some manner around distracted driving. If you ever active automatic braking, you probably deserve a citation.
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    Advertising is a numbers driven business. Every facet of every ad is designed to appeal to certain demographics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sr3AkWSRMg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sr3AkWSRMg
zensavona 9y ago
Meanwhile in the real world... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzD_3OFOPVQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzD_3OFOPVQ
F2 9y ago
This video explains the issue: https://youtu.be/8tOlNSrxcLs?t=49s https://youtu.be/8tOlNSrxcLs?t=49s Apparently the crash test dummy's head slips between the steering wheel and the side curtain airbag to hit the steering wheel. The Model S also doesn't seem to glance off the test structure in that particular test the same way other cars do and instead takes the full force of the crash to its firewall. Which certainly doesn't help. Here's the Lincoln Continental in comparison: https://youtu.be/pMc4NERWChc https://youtu.be/pMc4NERWChc It's probably safe to assume Tesla is going to update the Model S in the relevant areas.

18 points by pulse7 9y ago

Model S "only" gets second highest rating in a single test. The headline is not only wrong (it aced all but one test, so didn't fall to ace "some tests"), but seems designed to make it sound much worse than the report actually suggests.

nicoboo 9y ago
It's mainly part of a campaign against EV, so here, even wording is carefully chosen to bring this sentiment. Not really surprised by some recent news on those subject.
- rjdagost 9y ago
  Tesla has repeatedly boasted that the Model S is the "safest car ever made". It has been a focal point of their marketing for some time. So when there's evidence to the contrary it makes for great headlines- I wouldn't call it a campaign against EVs in general.
  - aidos 9y ago
    Is there another car that aces all the tests? Edit found a bit more info here http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/in-the-best-light-2017-top-safety-pick-winners-meet-new-headlight-criteria http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/in-the-best-light-...
    - arethuza 9y ago
      In the Euro NCAP ratings the Model S seems to do well (5 stars) but there are a fair number of cars that do even better. https://www.euroncap.com/en https://www.euroncap.com/en
    - Vik1ng 9y ago
      Mercedes E-Class
pvg 9y ago
You can read the IIHS's own release here: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/three-large-cars-join-ranks-of-iihs-top-safety-pick-winners http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/three-large-cars-j... The Reuters summary omits some details but is more neutral. The headline is neither wrong nor designed to make the report sound worse than it is.
serg_chernata 9y ago
> fails to ace some tests > plural But the article only mentions one imperfect score. I have to agree with you - click bait.
gambiting 9y ago
To be fair, to quote from the article: "In the test, the seat belt in Tesla's Model S was not effective and could lead to the driver's head striking the steering wheel hard through the air bag, according to the report." I don't understand how this is a "second highest score" instead of a complete fail?
- thrillgore 9y ago
  Agreed, the seat belt is pretty damn significant to passenger safety, the car should be outright given 1 star. Tesla would immediately respond with a recall.
  - gambiting 9y ago
    It's not even like it's new technology, seat belts should never ever fail.
- babyrainbow 9y ago
  That is hilarious! I mean, seriously. I mean, if that is how their seat belt work, I am pretty sure their "autopilot" would be out of this world/s (or take you out of this world..)
- jcranberry 9y ago
  They may have run a battery of tests and it's likelihood of happening is low. I wonder if the test results are publicly available.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

rightnow 9y ago

Why is this even here?

rootlocus 9y ago

> The vehicles must stop or slow down without driver intervention before hitting a target in tests at 12 or 25 miles per hour among other factors, IIHS said. I'm curious how the Tesla Model S behaved and why they decided it was "only acceptable".

AlphaWeaver 9y ago
The article explains that the seatbelt was somehow inadequate and caused the driver's head to hit the steering wheel hard through the airbag.
- dsfyu404ed 9y ago
  Looking on the bright side that means it's probably not the kind of airbag that puts people in the hospital when they would have otherwise walked away.

aidos 9y ago

I believe this is the video of the test. 40 mph into wall. Car safety has come a long way! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMcuiFmIQTo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMcuiFmIQTo

dsfyu404ed 9y ago
That doesn't look good to me. It's no accident that the vehicles someone else posted a link to glance off the barrier in the partial overlap. edit: For example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnRIwQn9SA8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnRIwQn9SA8

dsfyu404ed 9y ago

This is sort of unrelated to the main point of the article: >In order to get the top IIHS rating, automakers must have a frontal crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities to prevent a rear-end collision. >The IIHS is a research arm of the insurance industry This reminds me that one should always be aware of where the money is coming from. A frontal impact is a frontal impact. IIHS wants to see cars that don't let the driver rear end other cars because that's what the people who pay them want to see.

exabrial 9y ago
Yep. Every single one of those commercials that demonstrate the automatic breaking also feature the driver breaking the law some manner around distracted driving. If you ever active automatic braking, you probably deserve a citation.
- dsfyu404ed 9y ago
  Advertising is a numbers driven business. Every facet of every ad is designed to appeal to certain demographics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sr3AkWSRMg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sr3AkWSRMg

zensavona 9y ago

Meanwhile in the real world... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzD_3OFOPVQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzD_3OFOPVQ

F2 9y ago

This video explains the issue: https://youtu.be/8tOlNSrxcLs?t=49s https://youtu.be/8tOlNSrxcLs?t=49s Apparently the crash test dummy's head slips between the steering wheel and the side curtain airbag to hit the steering wheel. The Model S also doesn't seem to glance off the test structure in that particular test the same way other cars do and instead takes the full force of the crash to its firewall. Which certainly doesn't help. Here's the Lincoln Continental in comparison: https://youtu.be/pMc4NERWChc https://youtu.be/pMc4NERWChc It's probably safe to assume Tesla is going to update the Model S in the relevant areas.