Euro NCAP gives Tesla Model 3 highest safety assist rating
Experts at the European New Car Assessment Program, Euro NCAP, the vehicle safety testing specialists, have given the Tesla Model 3 electric car their highest ever rating for safety assist in a perfect five star performance in its latest crash test ratings.
Along with the Tesla Model 3, the Skoda Scala, and the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and GLE also earned five-star ratings in the latest batch of Euro NCAP ratings, which scores a vehicle’s overall safety rating.
Under the results, Euro NCAP praised the Model 3’s perfect score in the front offset deformable barrier crash test while its 94% rating in the Safety Assist tests is the best yet under Euro NCAP’s most recent protocol.
Euro NCAP also praised the Model 3’s superb driver assistance systems, such as lane support, speed assist and autonomous emergency braking.The Tesla also scored a figure of 94% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant and 74% for vulnerable road users.
In response, Tesla said: “Model 3 has already earned an overall 5-star rating from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in the US, including earning 5-stars in every category and sub-category, and scoring the lowest probability of injury of any car ever evaluated by the US New Car Assessment Program.
“Now it has just been awarded a 5-star rating from Euro NCAP. The Program’s four categories – in each of which Model 3 earned 5-stars – evaluate a car’s ability to protect adults, children, vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians, as well as its safety assistance features.
“In this latter “Safety Assist” category, which evaluates a car’s active safety features including its ability to avoid accidents, mitigate injuries and prevent drivers from unintentionally drifting out of their lane, Model 3 earned the highest score that Euro NCAP has awarded to date under their 2018/2019 testing protocols.
“Model 3 is our most affordable car yet, and safety is something that is paramount to all drivers.That’s why we engineered Model 3 from the ground up with the strongest structure, best occupant restraint system and the most advanced safety features that we could imagine, with a goal of getting as many of them on the road as possible.
“As Model 3 continues to earn the highest safety ratings around the globe, we hope that it translates into one very important point for our customers – peace of mind knowing that their car is helping them drive safely.”
In overall crash performance, Skoda’s new Scala just pipped the Model 3 with a 97% score in Adult Occupant Protection – putting it amongst the top small-family cars tested by Euro NCAP for this part of the assessment, along with the recently tested Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Mazda 3.
The Skoda also scored 87% for child safety, 81% for vulnerable road users and 76% for safety assist.
The results for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and GLE marked the brand’s tenth and eleventh five-star results since 2014, an unprecedented achievement.
Other vehicles which figured highly included the Kia Ceed and DS 3 Crossback, with both scoring four stars with equipment offered as standard but making it into five stars when equipped with an optional safety pack. As such, buyers are urged to consider such packs.
Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general at Euro NCAP, said: “Next year, we up the ante again, with better tests of driver-assistance systems, a completely new frontal crash test and more attention to protection in side crashes. These new tests should help to make the roads safer for everyone,” he added.
Fleet Logistics puts vehicle and driver safety at the top of its agenda and works with a number of suppliers to offer a variety of driver safety and driver training initiatives, both online and offline.
Current suppliers include Alert Driving, which makes over 30 high-impact driver training modules available, with courses on eco-driving, lane discipline, winter driving, safer parking, reversing, and much more.
AlertDriving provides global training coverage in more than 70 countries across the world - primarily through its trademark FleetDefenseSM suite of driver training solutions, which test drivers for dangerous behaviours and attitudes.
Fleet Logistics also works with Applied Driving Techniques (ADT), based in Southern England, which offers a variety of driver and fleet safety management services, including licence monitoring, driver risk assessments, in-vehicle training, fleet safety management reviews, blended learning and ‘applied companion’ artificially intelligent fleet solutions.
ADT, which operates in Europe, North America and Australasia, is also a member of the European Transport Safety Council and has chaired a series of seminars to promote the sharing of best practice in global road safety.
If you require any further information or advice on vehicle selection or driver safety training, please get in touch via email at info@fleetlogistics.com or visit www.fleetlogistics.com