The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), an independent non-profit organization dedicated to reducing losses (deaths, injuries, and property damage) in accidents in the United States, awarded the Tesla Model Y its highest safety distinction, called Top Safety Pick +.
The Model Y received the highest “Good” ratings in all six crash test and crashworthiness categories. It comes with a front crash prevention system that earns the highest “Superior” rating for helping to avoid collisions with vehicles and pedestrians. Additionally, it gets a superior “Good” rating for the LED projector headlights included in the Model Y Performance or an “Acceptable” rating for the LED reflector headlights in other versions.
In total, this qualifies the entire Model Y lineup for the IIHS’s top level, the Top Safety Pick + rating. The organization notes that this applies after a software update, which, in Tesla’s case, is easily downloaded wirelessly.
The Model Y had already achieved overall five-star ratings in federal NCAP crash tests, as well as five-star ratings in all crash test subcategories.
In April 2021, Tesla began transitioning Model Y and Model 3 vehicles in North America to its Tesla Vision technology, which is fully based on cameras, omitting radar. Some initial Model Y vehicles were delivered with the previous-generation system, which, according to IIHS notes, received a lower “Advanced” rating in crash avoidance tests.
The Model Y is not the first smaller electric crossover to achieve the IIHS’s top recognition. The Volkswagen ID.4 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge earned Top Safety Pick + status earlier this year, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E received the next best rating of Top Safety Pick, falling short only in headlight performance. The Audi E-Tron was the first electric vehicle of any kind to achieve the Top Safety Pick + distinction, while the Tesla Model 3 first achieved it in 2019.
While Tesla has downplayed the significance of IIHS test results in the past, emphasizing that they are less crucial for assessing a car’s safety than federal government tests, many automakers consider IIHS tests to be more challenging and a source of pride when achieved. This marks another significant achievement for the best-selling electric vehicle.
