Tesla’s Model 3 safety claims and the NHTSA’s scrutiny: A look at an old (revived) story

Numerous reports have recently emerged concerning the US National Highway Traffic Administration inspecting Tesla along with the firm ’s claims the Model 3 has the lowest likelihood of harm among vehicles analyzed by the bureau. It should be noted that the NHTSA’s evaluation, which involved a cease-and-desist letter to Tesla and an immediate response in the automaker, transpired last October, after the agency’s launch of this Model 3’s 5-Star Safety Rating. 

The NHTSA’s response to Tesla recently came to fore because of documents shared by staunch TSLA critic and transparency group Plainsite, that was able to get both the NHTSA’s cease-and-desist letter to Tesla in addition to the electric automobile maker’s answer to this bureau thanks to your Freedom of Information Act request. What’s quite peculiar concerning the new series of reports, including those in Bloomberg and Reuters, is they highlight the NHTSA’s allegations concerning the firm ’s alleged deceptive claims concerning the Model 3, although not Tesla’s answer arguing that it utilized the agency’s own information to reach its own decisions. 

To get an accurate picture of this narrative, one have to look at the full cease-and-desist letter delivered by the NHTSA to Tesla, in addition to the entire contents of this electric automobile maker’s answer. A copy of each letter is going to be embedded within this report, to supply a complete account of those 2 parties’ correspondence.

Following Tesla’s launch of its blog article stating that the Model 3 has the lowest probability of harm among the vehicles tested by the NHTSA, the agency delivered the Silicon Valley-based company a cease-and-desist letter. Addressed to Elon Muskthe letter claimed the Tesla had “issued a number of misleading statements concerning the recent Government 5-Star Ratings of this Tesla Model 3. ” NHTSA Chief Counsel Jonathan Morrison, that delivered the letter, additionally argued that statements such as “smallest likelihood of harm in most automobiles ” are wrong and not in the best interests of all customers. 

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The NHSTA’s letter to Tesla might be accessed below. 

Tesla Model 3 Safety Claims… from Simon Alvarez on Scribd

Tesla disagreed with all the NHTSA’s allegations in its response to this cease-and-desist letter. The electric automobile maker argued that its statements about the Model 3’s safety were untrue nor misleading, especially since the company used the NHTSA’s data (which can be obtained under ) as it stated that the electric sedan, in addition to its largest siblings, the Model S and Model X, have the lowest likelihood of harm among vehicles analyzed by the bureau. Tesla also noticed that the Model 3’so achievement is “what NHTSA designed using all the NCAP — to motivate manufacturers to always immprove safety. ” With this in mind, Tesla noticed there wasn’t any reason to stop its blog article highlihghting that the Model 3’s safety. 

Tesla’s reaction to the NHTSA might be read under. 

Tesla Model 3 Safety Claims… from Simon Alvarez on Scribd

It should be noted that the NHTSA has not doubled down on its allgetations from Tesla. The electric automobile maker’s blog post explaining the Model 3’s stellar security scores remains active now. Contrary to Plainsite’s statements that Tesla had been “known the FTC for repeatedly lying about the safety of their vehicles,” it seems that the NHTSA opted to back down from the allegations once the electric automobile maker explained the rationale behind its statements about the Model 3.

The Model 3 has since gained ideal 5-Star Safety Ratings in the Euro-NCAP along with the ANCAP, together with both security bureaus lauding the automobile for being one of the safest cars on the street. Following the automobile ’s crash tests, Matthew Avery, head of research in Thatcham Research, which conducts the crash tests together with all the Euro NCAP,  noticed “Tesla has done a great job of playing the structural advantages of an electric car to its benefit. The Tesla Model 3 attained one of the highest Safety Assist scores we’ve seen so far. ” These sentiments were echoed by ANCAP Chief Executive Officer James Goodwin, that noticed that it had been “good to see electric vehicles ongoing to prioritize security. It is encouraging to see Tesla give equal attention to the active security systems and technology on board in addition to the security fundamentals through the structure and restraints. ”

H/T to Vladimir Grinshpun.

The article Tesla’s Model 3 security claims along with also the NHTSA’s evaluation: A look at an older (revived) narrative appeared initially on TESLARATI.

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