Tesla’s updated Model 3 sedan has received a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP under the group’s latest and most stringent testing protocols, with the electric vehicle achieving the highest recorded score for child protection to date.
According to results published by the European safety authority, the Model 3 earned scores of 90% for adult occupant protection, 95% for child occupant protection, 89% for vulnerable road users, and 88% for safety assist technologies. The same safety rating has been adopted by ANCAP, Australia’s crash-testing body, and applies retroactively to all Model 3 units manufactured since September 2023—including early builds of the refreshed “Highland” model.
“The Model 3’s performance in Child Occupant Protection is the best we’ve ever recorded under the current protocols,” Euro NCAP stated in its report.
Tesla’s high safety scores are attributed to a combination of structural reinforcements and a suite of both passive and active safety technologies. These include a front-centre airbag designed to reduce injury in side impacts, an active hood that automatically lifts during a pedestrian collision, and an advanced emergency braking system optimized to detect motorcycles and cross-traffic.
The Model 3 also features a radar-based child presence detection system that can activate HVAC systems and send notifications to caregivers if an unattended child is detected inside the vehicle. Additional safety measures include blind spot door lock prevention and newly introduced collision avoidance systems for dynamic road scenarios.
The vehicle earned full marks in side impact and pole crash tests and was rated “Good” in protecting most critical body regions during frontal-offset collisions. “Adequate” ratings were noted for chest and lower leg protection in the same test.
Tesla’s relatively moderate vehicle weight, compared to other electric vehicles, contributed to its strong results in the Mobile Progressive Deformable Barrier (MPDB) test, which simulates a head-on collision between two vehicles of similar size and weight.
Source: EVMagz