Tesla Safety Tests Break Testing Machine cause Controversy
Electric cars are safer than those powered by gasoline. It’s a broad statement, but if one examines the recent crash safety tests, it’s hard to argue otherwise. For example, the 2014 Ford Focus and 2014 Chevrolet Volt both attained five-star safety ratings. Along comes Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) with its Model S and crashes all safety records, gaining a perfect score of five in each of three test categories, a “relatively rare” event, according toUSA Todaynewspaper.Rave reviews pouring in for Tesla’s Model SOf course, Tesla was crowing about the outstanding safety test results, which have simply added more luster to reviews of its Model S electric vehicle. Among its recent accolades has been the designation of “Car of the Year” by Motor Trend magazine. Consumer Reports magazine said it was the “best car it has ever tested,” according toCNN.Drivers love it, while car dealerships do not (Tesla is sold in stand-alone shops, akin to Apple stores, taking traditional sales techniques largely out of the picture). Some states, like Texas, are so afraid of its new business model that they have banned the sales of Tesla in their state altogether.For the consumer, such fear is a good sign. It means that the traditional way of doing deals is under threat. Many loathe the process of buying a new car, and Tesla not only offers a nontraditional vehicle, but a nontraditional process as well.Controversy follows Tesla, even in safety testsWhile there’s no doubt that the Tesla Model S achieved superb results with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there has been some controversy following the release of the results. Largely this has come from statements made by the company. In a press release issued by Tesla, it claimed that its car had a “new combined record of 5.4 stars,” according to USA Today.This resulted in the NHTSA issuing a statement that five stars alone was its top rating. According to them: “The agency’s 5-Star Safety Ratings program is designed to provide consumers with information about the crash protection and rollover safety of new vehicles beyond what is required by Federal standards. One star is the lowest rating; five stars is the highest. More stars equal safer cars. NHTSA does not rate vehicles beyond 5 stars and does not rank or order vehicles within starred categories.”Broke the testing machineNo matter whether Tesla is a five-star vehicle or beyond, there is no equivocation over its safety features. In fact, according to USA Today, “The roof of its Model S sedan is apparently so strong that it broke a testing machine during its independent validation of its government crash-test scores.” And, as noted earlier by CNN, it achieved five stars in each of the three major test groupings: front-end crash, rollover crash and side crash. This is particularly notable because, unlike many car manufacturers, Tesla does not have years of experience building autos and testing vehicle design.Not surprisingly, analysts are impressed. Noted Kelly Blue Book’s Karl Brauer, “Clearly, Elon Musk [Tesla’s CEO] knows this is how an all-new type of car from an all-new automaker changes minds and wins over skeptics.”
