Since we are getting very close to the official release, and that there have been photographs of yellow painted model S cars to be used for crash tests, are there any results out yet?
Not yet, as I heard it, TM is waiting to get all the design stuff finalized first because one it goes in for testing then the design is locked in and any changes at all after that would require another crash test.
According to Mr. Blankenship in a video that "engle" posted form the Santana reveal, Mr. Blankenship stated that the design was locked and several car would be crash tested.
I learned this weekend from a TM store manager that TM is getting verbal reports from NHTSA that the car's getting 5 stars... but we have to wait for the official report.
Huge hurdle for TM, let's all hope that is true and reported either prior to the earnings call or at the earnings call.
Many cars get 5 stars in some categories but Elon would like the Model S to be the first to get a 5 star rating in all categories.
That is the first and only car so far I believe. Not sure how many cars have completed testing since.
The Model S's roll-over odds will surely be lower than the Camaro's, so Tesla should still be able to make the claim "the world's safest car" with factual support.
The safest part of the car is the vehicle, the unsafest is the person behind the wheel. All the safety equipment is wonderful, but if you don't drive safely, speed, text, use the phone, drink ... THAT is what males it unsafe.
And hopefully with voice control, bluetooth calling and speech to text for incoming messages, that will make things all that much safer. (Although, I often don't do the speed limit and tech isn't going to help that )
An interesting note on voice control from this NYTimes review of the new Lexus GS: I'd agree; even for a tech geek like me, it was very rare to use the voice commands in my last 3 cars that were capable of handling them.
In most cars, the voice commands don't work because the vocabulary is limited and/or the noise level doesn't allow the command to be recognized. At least the second part should not be a problem with the Model S. I don't use the voice commands in my Prius either because the only time they work is when the car is stopped and the windows rolled up. If I have to stop the car anyway, it's just as easy to use the buttons.