A new study by the portal Iseecars has Tesla as the brand with the most fatal traffic accidents per mile driven. With an accident rate of 5.6 fatal accidents per billion miles lies Tesla far above the average of 2,8. Tesla However, the company vehemently rejects this assessment and points to safety ratings that are among the best in the industry.
Main section
The Iseecars study: what does it say?
The study is based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) of the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and analyzes fatal accidents between 2018 and 2022, comparing over 200 vehicle models.
Results for Tesla
- The Tesla Model Y ended up with an accident rate of 10,6 in sixth place among the most dangerous vehicles.
- The Tesla Model S achieved a rate of 5,8 the 21st place.
- Tesla The brand was named the "deadliest car brand".
The study argues that the high number of accidents may not only be due to technical factors, but also to driver behavior and typical operating conditions.
Tesla's criticism: "Clickbait instead of facts"
Lars Moravy, Tesla's Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, described the study as inaccurate and misleading. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:
"Fatal accidents are tragic - we want to avoid them. Safety comes first. This math is wrong - crash test data is real. Teslas are among the safest cars."
Moravy argued that the analysis may have miscalculated the miles driven. According to him, by the end of 2022 in the US alone:
- 7 billion miles with the Model Y
- 13 billion miles with the Model 3 driven.
These figures would put the accident rate into perspective if they were calculated correctly.
Tesla's safety standards and test results
Tesla refers to the results of independent crash tests that confirm the company's high safety standards:
- Tesla Model Y (2022): 5 stars at Euro-NCAP-tests, top marks in several categories.
- Tesla Model S (2022)Also 5 stars and one of the highest overall scores in the luxury sedan category.
Iseecars: Combination of behavior and conditions
Karl Brauer, lead analyst at Iseecars, explains that many vehicles in the study, including Teslas, performed extremely well in safety tests. However, the high accident rate is also due to external factors:
- Driver behaviorHigher speeds, risky maneuvers or distraction by technology.
- Driving conditionsTeslas are often on the road in urban and heavily frequented areas where the risk of accidents is higher.
Controversy over methodology and interpretation
The methodology of the study is criticized by Tesla and other experts. The approach of calculating the accident rate solely on the basis of reported accidents and miles driven does not take many variables into account, including
- Regional differences in traffic density.
- The profile of the TeslaAccording to studies, drivers have an above-average affinity for technology and are willing to take risks.
- Weather and road conditions.
Conclusion
The Iseecars study has sparked a controversial debate. While the results point to a high accident rate in Tesla-vehicles, independent safety assessments and the extensive safety features of Tesla speak a different language. In the end, not only technical factors but also driver behavior seem to play a decisive role. Tesla's criticism of the methodology and interpretation of the data shows how important it is to take a differentiated view of such studies.
Keywords
Tesla, Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Accessories, Tesla Store, Shop4Tesla, Tesla News, Tesla Security, Tesla Accident rate, Iseecars, Crash tests
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