Fresh on the European market, the Tesla Model 3 quickly placed itself at the top of the sales, fighting the big names already on the continent. But as of this week, the car got an extra dose of confidence, as local safety watchdog Euro NCAP released the safety ratings for the car.
The model tested by the organization is a long-range rear-wheel drive in left-hand drive configuration. After it was subjected to the usual ordeals, the car came out at the other end of the testing process completely wrecked, but with little harm done to the dummies fitted inside.
The Model 3 got the full five stars rating from Euro NCAP after it achieved 96 percent adult occupant protection, 86 percent child occupant protection, and 74 percent protection of vulnerable road users. The car’s safety assist systems scored 94 percent.
This assist systems score is the “best yet under Euro NCAP’s most recent protocol” the organization said.
These tests however pertain only to what the car can do if involved in a crash. Back in 2018, Euro NCAP said that the car’s automated driving technologies (ADS) remain a great hazard for users, not because they don’t work properly, but because they are both poorly explained and poorly understood.
And it all starts with the name for the ADS, Autopilot. As per Euro NCAP, this “implies a fully automated system where the driver is not required,” a thing this system is not.
On the other hand, in the few months that have passed since the Model 3 began selling in Europe we are unaware of any crashes resulting from the poor use of Autopilot.
The Tesla Model 3 currently sells in a number of European countries. The cheapest place to buy one is in France, where the entry level starts at €42,600, and the most expensive can be purchased in Finland, where the car starts at €49,200.
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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