The Tesla Model 3 has earned its first award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and its a good one.In crash testing, Teslas cheapest model won the organizations top-tier award, Top Safety Pick+, which means that it scored good or better in the passenger-side small overlap test and the headlight evaluation, areas many automakers struggle with.The Model 3 earned big points for its performance in the driver-side small-overlap front crash test, one of the most challenging tests to score well at as well.The car held up fairly well, with the lower door pillar intruding only 8 inches, equal to a moderate risk of injury to the drivers lower leg, and no other injuries reported.Another aspect modern-day cars have to score big in is front crash prevention systems, and Teslas systems scored well in these areas, too, earning good marks for the 20 km/h and 40 km/h tests.Vehicles with alternative powertrains have come into their own, IIHS Chief Research Officer David Zuby says. Theres no need to trade away safety for a lower carbon footprint when choosing a vehicle.The fact the car scored so well is a great feat of engineering, as the Model 3 obviously doesnt have an engine in the front to absorb any of the impact. The battery is also very innovative in that it is rigid and fortified, which diverts crash forces away from the
Origin: The Tesla Model 3 just earned the IIHS’ top safety award
IIHS
The 2020 Ram 1500’s the first truck to earn top marks in IIHS safety testing
2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Ram is on something of a tear with its new 1500 pickup in this country, chalking up healthy sales as it offers customers a wide a range of trims and engines. Now, it has another arrow to add to its quiver a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.This makes Ram 1500 the first full-size pickup to earn this accolade. It tests a half-dozen crashworthiness measures, plus the clarity and strength of headlight output.It is this last criteria that flummoxes most manufacturers, denying them the coveted + notation. Driver assists such as forward collision mitigation helps improve ratings as well.Ram ticked all the boxes in testing, meaning the Top Safety Pick+ rating applies to 2020 Ram 1500 pickups and 2019 trucks produced after May of this year, so long as theyre equipped with adaptive LED projector headlamps that have high-beam assist and Rams automatic emergency braking technology.Of the crash tests conducted by the IIHS, three simulate frontal impacts, with the new Ram half-ton recording good results in each. In typically understated government fashion, good is the highest possible rating. Outcomes were the same in the three remaining crashworthiness tests, which inflict damage consistent with a side impact, rear impact and a rollover.This recognition validates our unrelenting efforts to deliver more value for our customers, says Reid Bigland, head of Ram Brand. The new Ram 1500 has earned many accolades for its capability and design. It is immensely satisfying to have the IIHS recognize our truck for its compelling safety story. As for its competitors, the 2019 Ford F-150 also earns good marks in all crash tests but fails to annotate its result with a + thanks to headlights which only earn a poor rating. Its the same story at Chevy for its 2019 Silverado, save for a marginal result in the passenger-side small overlap crash test.Elsewhere in the automotive sphere, the snazzy new 2020 Hyundai Palisade also earns a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS when equipped with its best headlights. Volvo, long a brand with a name thats basically a byword for safety, also picked up a brace of Top Safety Pick wins for its large S90 and XC90
Origin: The 2020 Ram 1500’s the first truck to earn top marks in IIHS safety testing
2019 Ford Ranger crushes IIHS crash tests, matches Toyota Tacoma
The 2019 Ford Ranger in IIHS crash testingIIHS The 2019 Ford Ranger crew cab recently passed all but one of the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) safety tests with flying colours, narrowly missing out on being crowned a Top Safety Pick. The redone midsize pickup earned a rating of “superior” for front crash prevention, and “good” for five evaluations including driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint. For the passenger-side small overlap front test, however, it earned an “acceptable” due to forces felt on the right lower leg of the dummy passenger, suggesting potential risk of injury. Here’s what that looks like (note the crowd watching from the back of the room).With these results, the Ranger SuperCrew still would have earned the Top Safety Pick if it weren’t for a “marginal” in the headlight category bringing it down—even an “acceptable” would’ve been enough. Alas, it was not meant to be this year. It was enough to bring the Ranger up alongside the segment safety leader, the Toyota Tacoma, though. Meanwhile, the midsize competition from Chevrolet and GMC – namely the Colorado and Canyon – scored “good” on all of the same five tests as the Ranger, but only “marginal” on the passenger-side small overlap front test. The two trucks’ headlights were ranked as “poor” and their front crash prevention system as
Origin: 2019 Ford Ranger crushes IIHS crash tests, matches Toyota Tacoma
All about car 