Tesla made a big deal about the Cybertruck’s rigid structure and safety features, but the EV only recently received its first round of government crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tested the 2024 Cybertruck during its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), giving it safety scores for the first time.
The Cybertruck earned five stars for driver safety and four stars for the front passengers in the NHTSA’s frontal crash test. The test simulates a head-on collision at 35 mph by running the truck into a flat barrier. The EV earned five stars in side crash tests, which combine scores from two tests.
In the rollover resistance test, the Cybertruck showed a 12.4 percent chance of tipping, earning it a four-star score. That might seem like a strong chance, but it’s good to note that many trucks and SUVs scored similarly due to their taller ride height and higher centers of gravity.
Those scores earned the Cybertruck a strong five-star overall rating, giving Tesla’s entire catalog the NHTSA’s top marks. That said, the automaker’s advanced driver-assistance technologies have been under investigation due to a number of high-profile crashes involving the systems. In addition to having difficulties identifying and navigating around emergency vehicles (an issue identified as a problem for many advanced driving systems), some drivers become too comfortable with the aids, relinquishing control of the vehicle and making it more difficult to recover if there’s a problem.
[Images: Tesla]
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