In the decade or so that passed since they came to light, Tesla cars have established themselves as safe and reliable. Mostly this is because of the Autopilot, the system that has taken assistance systems to whole new levels. But even when Autopilot can't prevent a crash, the safety of those inside is ensured by the robust way in which the cars are built.
In recent months, the Model 3, currently the most successful vehicle in the Tesla lineup, was praised by safety watchdogs in both America and Europe, as each of their crash tests have shown the car meets all the requirements to be awarded top accolades.
But before the likes of IIHS or Euro NCAP got to test the Model 3, Tesla itself has been busy crashing the car into solid walls and such, making sure everything works as it should. And earlier this week the company showed us a glimpse of how this is done.
The place where all the action happens is dubbed by Tesla Crash Lab and is located at the main facility in Fremont. Until four days ago, it was one of the least known facilities of the California-based automaker. But now, thanks to an official video, we have an idea of what goes on behind closed doors.
And what happens behind closed doors is crashes. Tons of them.
Once a car has been cleared for production and a prototype is made, it is sent to the Crash Lab to be subjected to frontat, side, and rear impacts, as well as roll-over tests.
For the front impact Tesla uses a 340-feet long tunnel (103 meters) and a steel cable powered by two Model S Performance motors. The test car is linked to the cable, which pulls it at high speed into a solid wall. For the rear impact, the stationary prototype is struck by an incoming wheeled platform.
In case you missed the video earlier this week, here it is in the section below.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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