Security agency evaluations illustrate the excellent degree of Tesla Autopilot’s interference and control of a malfunction. Autopilot monitoring, however, is very poor. The Mercedes GLE system is a success.
The Tesla Model 3 Autopilot is the best driver assistance device because of its ability to interfere in hazardous circumstances and to handle a failure, but communication and control of the driver’s level of attention are extremely lacking.
This decision was taken by Euro NCAP, the European body responsible for the safety evaluation of the active and passive performance of vehicles. The body reviewed the most common driver assist systems (ADAS) along with Thatcham Research, then compiled a ranking that took three criteria into account.
Tesla Autopilot is the best in dangerous situations and in handling malfunctions
The first parameter is that of Vehicle Assistance, which is the effective ability of the ADAS systems to intervene in dangerous situations. In this parameter, Tesla’s Autopilot shines, with a score of 91 out of 100. Very close is the Mercedes GLE driver assistance system, which will later be crowned as the best overall.
The Tesla Model 3 Autopilot still shines in the second category, the one called Safety Backup, and which analyzes the ability of ADAS to react to a malfunction or to a lack of response from the driver. Tesla obtained 95 points out of 100, with excellent performances of the German Mercedes GLE (89) BMW 3 Series (90), and Audi Q8 (84).
Engagement and attention monitoring, Autopilot is the worst
But there is one category in which Tesla’s Autopilot is the worst of the lot: Driver Interaction, which tests the efficacy of car-driver contact and the ability of the device to hold the attention of the driver up. Out of 100 in this group, Autopilot scores only 36 points.
In particular, the lack of clear and readable information at a glance and the failure to use the internal camera to monitor the driver’s attention are blamed. The ADAS system of Mercedes GLE triumphs in this category with 85 points out of 100. BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen also performed well.
General classification, Mercedes GLE wins but also BMW and Audi are excellent
As mentioned earlier, the driver assistance system at the top of the ranking is that of the Mercedes GLE, which together with the BMW 3 Series system and the Audi Q8 system earn the Very Good classification.
Fourth place for the Ford Kuga system, only good. Following Volkswagen Passat, Tesla Model 3, Nissan Juke, and Volvo V60 with the mediocre classification, and the Renault Clio and Peugeot 3008 close the classification.
