The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently released a video comparing the crash test performance of two popular pickup trucks: the Tesla Cybertruck and the Ford F-150 Lightning. In the video, the Cybertruck outperformed the Lightning, earning a “Good” rating in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, while the F-150 Lightning received a “Poor” rating.
Raul Arbelaez, Vice President of the IIHS Vehicle Research Center, explained the reasons behind the F-150 Lightning’s poor rating. He highlighted concerns such as rear seated occupant safety, including issues with the side curtain airbag getting hung up on the B-pillar, high neck tension on the rear dummy, elevated chest injury measures, and submarining of the seatbelt. These factors contributed to the poor rating, indicating areas for improvement in the vehicle’s safety design.
On the other hand, the Cybertruck excelled in several key categories, including rear passenger injury measures, driver injury measures, rear passenger restraints, dummy kinematics, and seat belts & child restraints. The Cybertruck earned a “Good” rating in the challenging test, showcasing its strong performance in crash safety.
Both trucks performed well in pedestrian crash avoidance tests, with the Cybertruck successfully avoiding every crash scenario during both daytime and nighttime testing. The F-150 Lightning earned a “Good” overall rating in pedestrian crash avoidance but was unable to avoid every impact.
One area where the Cybertruck fell short was in the headlights category, receiving a “Poor” rating for excessive glare. However, the IIHS noted that this issue should be relatively easy to address. In contrast, the F-150 Lightning received an “Acceptable” rating for headlights.
This latest comparison adds to the Cybertruck’s impressive safety record. In previous tests, the Cybertruck impressed in IIHS crash test footage and secured five-star safety ratings for both driver and passenger from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The vehicle also earned an overall five-star safety rating from the NHTSA earlier this year.
Overall, the IIHS comparison video highlights the Cybertruck’s strong performance in crash safety tests, solidifying its reputation as a safe and reliable vehicle. Check out the full comparison video for a detailed look at the test results.