The Tesla Model Y has officially become the safest car in Europe, and also achieved a record high rating from the Australian safety ratings.
The new safety rating from Euro NCAP was released overnight in Europe and coincides with top ratings from Australia’s closely aligned ANCAP, which awarded an all-time record score of 98% in the Safety Assist pillar.
Key to its results were its “lane support” – known in Tesla vernacular as Autosteer – as well as its camera-based driver monitoring system, which increases the sensitivity of the car’s forward collision warning system if driver distraction or erratic driving is detected.
Both features received full marks from Euro NCAP, and ANCAP said that going forward, direct driver monitoring systems will become part of the assessment criteria for all vehicles from 2023. In short, cars without cameras to monitor drivers will be marked down in the future.
Tesla Vision, the name for the EV maker’s vision-only vehicle and pedestrian detection system which came into force recently after the EV maker decided to ditch radar – was also credited with a “remarkable” ability to prevent collisions with other cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Euro NCAP and ANCAP safety ratings for the Model Y include a very impressive 97% for adult occupant protection, and an even better score – 98% – for its safety assist features.
It also scored a high 87% for child occupant protection, and 82% for vulnerable road users.
The ratings come as Tesla ramps up production of its Berlin-made Model Y, on which the ratings are based but which shares the safety features as those made in its Fremont and Shanghai factories.
Euro NCAP boss Michiel van Ratingen congratulated the EV maker on its commitment to safety, calling the results “outstanding” and noting they in fact are a new record for vehicle safety at Euro NCAP.
“Tesla have shown that nothing but the best is good enough for them, and we hope to see them continue to aspire to that goal in the future,” he said in a statement.
Likewise, Australia’s safety body ANCAP credited Tesla with an outstanding result.
“The Tesla Model Y demonstrated high levels of performance for its ability to avoid a crash with another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist, and maximum points were awarded across the majority of collision avoidance test scenarios,” ANCAP noted in its results.
Tesla credits iterative design tests for safety record
Tesla released a statement on its blog regarding the results, saying that fundamental to its scores is the ” iterative process through which we aim to make some of the safest cars on the road even safer.”
In added that “continuous safety improvements” have included the addition of rear underbody casting, far-side airbags, multi-collision braking to avoid secondary impacts, and its driver monitoring system.
It also released a comparison of all recent safety test under the Euro NCAP 2020-2022 protocols.
Kia e-Niro and Genesis GV60 also on five star list
ANCAP also released results for the Kia Niro (which includes its all-electric e-Niro) and the Genesis GV60.
The GV60 recorded “solid results” for its front-seat passenger protection and driver side impact test, as well as frontal and side impact crash scenarios for children.
However, it scored lower results for vulnerable road user protection because although its front bumper provided protection to pedestrian legs, the pelvis area is at high risk of injury (just 0.45 points out of a possible 6 were scored.)
The Niro in all its drivetrain iterations got maximum points for front row side and oblique pole tests, as well as pedestrian upper and lower leg impact test. It also got top points for the ability to avoid and mitigate intersection collisions.
“The results we’ve released today will give confidence to those in the market for an alternative-powered Small SUV,” said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg in a statement.
Chinese EV makers also record good marks in Europe
Euro NCAP also noted that Chinese carmakers – in particular, the Ora Funky Cat from Great Wall Motors which arrived recently in Australia for local evaluation, as well as the Wey Coffee 01 – have also done well on safety tests.
“We’ve seen good results from some Chinese manufacturers in the past, but also some very poor ones,” said van Ratingen. He added: “This year, Euro NCAP will test more Chinese cars than it has ever done and Great Wall really sets the standard for others to follow.”
BYD Atto 3 safety test results promised soon
Safety results are also expected in the near future for the BYD Atto 3. At an event in Melbourne on Wednesday, BYD’s Luke Todd said that the compact electric SUV is currently undergoing testing in Europe “in conjunction with ANCAP.”
These comments, reported by Drive, were backed up by a response from Euro NCAP to a query from a reader. “We are having some delay with this model, it will be published next month,” the safety body reported.
A spokesperson for EV Direct confirmed with The Driven that ANCAP local testing is underway.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.