
Tesla's Model S fails to ace some tests in IIHS evaluation - pulse7
http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKBN19R08Y-OCABS
======
JamesMcMinn
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.

~~~
gambiting
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
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
It's not even like it's new technology, seat belts should never ever fail.

------
aidos
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
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)

------
F2
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.

------
dsfyu404ed
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
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
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
Meanwhile in the real world...

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzD_3OFOPVQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzD_3OFOPVQ)

------
rootlocus
> 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
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
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.

