Tesla Model S Safety Rating Is Highest Among Passenger Cars

At one end is the Maruti Suzuki Alto, that scored a zero in an independent safety test conducted by a Latin American agency, proving the inadequate passenger car safety regulations maintained in India. On the other hand is the Tesla Model S, a U.S electric passenger sedan, which recently got certified as the safest car ever tested by the country's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Model S set a world record by scoring five stars, not just overall, but in every sub category of test conducted by NHTSA. In fact, the Vehicle Safety Score (VSS) achieved by Model S was 5.4 stars, while the highest rating is only 5 stars. What's more, the electric sedan not only outscored cars from its segment, but even SUVs and minivans.

The scores are awarded based on tests conducted to evaluate the likelihood of injury from front, side, rear and rollover accidents and the Model S proved to be the car in which passengers are least likely to be injured.

Being an electric car helps
There is a reason why the Tesla Model S was able to achieve such outstanding ratings. Being an electric car, without a bulky engine at the front, gives it an advantage over conventional cars. The absence of the an engine means the ‘crumple zone' is longer. In other words, the time taken for the impact from an accident takes longer to reach the occupant due to the long empty front end, which absorbs most of the energy from the impact.

Testing machine breaks down
In the PR released by Tesla it explains that during testing unconventional methods were used to roll the car over because it refused to do so via normal methods. Once again, its because of the bulky battery pack located below the floor, lowering the center of gravity, helping keep the car grounded. It is also mentioned that the roof of the Tesla Model S proved too strong for even the testing machine. It broke down at 4 g's while attempting to crush the roof.