Safety of rear passengers

[Zoomit]

The pillars and door arches are the structures that maintain a safe passenger volume if, say, the car was dropped upside down on the ground. The roof crossbeams add stability to the door arches but are primary loadpaths for a side impact.

The floor of skateboard EVs is much stronger than the roof crossmembers and transfers a majority if the side impact forces throughout the vehicle.

Both the Models S and 3 have two roof crossmembers to transfer side impact loads and to support the door arches.

The 3 also has an additional crossmember above the trunk. This serves to stabilize the rear side panels and the C and D pillars. That loadpath is not present in hatchbacks like the Model S.

 

[Zoomit]

To get a better idea of rear passenger head position in relation to the door arches and rear roof crossmember, I suggest viewing this spherical camera view recorded at the reveal:

Here you can see that the door arches are close to the passenger head. Note the center passenger is leaning forward.

Here you can see the left rear passenger reach ahead of the rear crossmember. This provides a sense of the relative distances.

 

[NoTDI]

To get a better idea of rear passenger head position in relation to the door arches and rear roof crossmember, I suggest viewing this spherical camera view recorded at the reveal:

Here you can see that the door arches are close to the passenger head. Note the center passenger is leaning forward.
View attachment 178445

Here you can see the left rear passenger reach ahead of the rear crossmember to get a better feel for the relative distances.
View attachment 178446

Great thanks everyone so the conclusion is M3 is hard to rollover and in case it does the rear passengers should be protected by the door arches and the rear roof crossmember. Safe driving in ludicrous mode

 

[Tiberius]

But MS doesn't have the same one piece glass.

Read the second post in this thread. Derp.

 

[Red Sage]

Why do I get the impression someone has seen two or three too many installments of the 'Final Destination' movie series...?

 

[eloder]

Here's a helpful hint: if you removed all glass from a Model S, its survivability in a rollover (or in most any crash situation) would virtually not be affected whatsoever.

It's the same concept as to why plastic-bodied cars are out on the road and can achieve 5 star safety ratings. Plastic isn't strong, but the crumple zone, high-strength alloys, strong skeletal frame, and other heavy metals are very strong and they're the only things really keeping you safe in an accident in any car. Meanwhile in a rollover incident, the roof, glass, etc. are doing extremely little in keeping you safe, but the high-strength alloys in the skeleton prevent meaningful intrusion.

 

[Red Sage]

Here's a helpful hint: if you removed all glass from a Model S, its survivability in a rollover (or in most any crash situation) would virtually not be affected whatsoever.

Exactly.

 

[Jayc]

I really hope there will be some sort of after market accessory to cover the top part of that rear glass - seems too intrusive. A good thermal insulation type stick-on felt patch of the same internal color and texture as the rest of roof would do well. Actually, it wouldn't be too bad for Tesla to offer something like that because for colder climates, that can somewhat offset the reduction in thermal insulation. Maybe even a 15cm pull-down thermal blind would be a good feature but of course it will have to be rattle free.

 

[garsh]

Here's a helpful hint:

That was unnecessarily snarky.

Meanwhile in a rollover incident, the roof, glass, etc. are doing extremely little in keeping you safe, but the high-strength alloys in the skeleton prevent meaningful intrusion.

Which is exactly why NoTDI was worried about the 3's survivability for rear-seat passengers in a rollover. They only have glass above their heads, and no high-strength alloy crossmember to prevent intrusion into the cabin from whatever rock they may be rolling over.

I can understand the concern. I'm personally not worried about it, given the car's low center of gravity.

 

[Red Sage]

I believe, as was noted earlier in the thread, the fixed 'shelf' behind the rear seats connects the left and right sides of the Model ☰ as a functional, structural support. The presumption is that shelf, combined with the two forward cross members, would keep the roof rails in place in a rollover situation. So the roof rails would operate like a rollbar, just aligned longitudinally with the car, instead of transverse to it.