Two all-electric cars, the 2017 Tesla Model S and the 2017 BMW i3, failed to achieve the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s awards criteria for Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+.
To earn the Top Safety Pick award, vehicles must earn the institution’s highest rating of “Good” in all five crash test evaluations – small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints and seats – and a rating of “Advanced” or “Superior” for the front crash prevention system, if available. The “+” is awarded for meeting all the above criteria in addition to a rating of “Good” or “Acceptable” for the headlights evaluation.
The Tesla Model S received the highest rating of “Good” in all crash evaluations except for the difficult small overlap front crash test, in which the large luxury sedan earned the second highest rating of “Acceptable.”
According to the IIHS, “Tesla ran into problems in the test when the safety belt allowed the dummy’s torso to move too far forward. That allowed the dummy’s head to hit the steering wheel hard through the airbag.” Tesla claims production changes were made on January 23 to address the head-contact issue.
The Model S comes standard with automatic braking hardware, but Tesla hasn’t activated the software for all vehicles. Additionally, the IIHS has yet to rate the sedan’s front crash prevention system. The 2017 Model S is equipped with headlights rated as “Poor” and the automaker says it’s working to remedy this issue.
The BMW i3’s rating of “Acceptable” for the head restraints and seats evaluation kept this small electric car out of the winner’s circle. Nonetheless, the i3 did earn the highest rating of “Good” in all other crash test evaluations and a rating of “Advanced” for the front crash prevention system. The IIHS claims the head restraint and seat evaluation “measures a vehicle’s ability to protect against neck injuries in a rear crash.” The i3’s headlights received a rating of “Acceptable.”
Two plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime and the Chevrolet Volt, have the ability to run on hybrid power or on all-electric power (for short distances), were awarded the IIHS’ highest honor of Top Safety Pick+.
“There’s no reason the most efficient vehicles can’t also be among the safest,” says David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer.
Source: IIHS
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