Chinese Electric Vehicles Surpass Tesla as World’s Safest

Two models from BYD electric vehicles lead in safety, according to Recent Research

The safety of Chinese-manufactured vehicles has often been questioned. However, astonishing research results have recently emerged from Australia. Two popular Chinese electric cars, BYD’s Seal and Dolphin, are the safest in the world.

According to a study by the Australian insurance website Compare the Market Australia, BYD’s Seal was ranked as the safest car, followed by the Dolphin. However, some question the credibility of the research, noting that the 2023 safety standards, which were applied to the Seal and Dolphin, have changed.

Kia Sportage, Tesla Model Y
Rank Among the Top Five Safest Cars

BYD’s Seal and Dolphin, along with the Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Tesla Model Y, were ranked among the top five safest cars. Adrian Taylor, the head of insurance at Compare the Market, said, “The BYD Seal and Dolphin have passed the globally recognized standard safety support system tests well.”

He added that the BYD Seal and Dolphin “scored high marks in the stringent 2023 safety tests in Australia and Europe.” The car safety study, conducted by auto insurance experts, surveyed 32 vehicles available in six countries (Australia, New Zealand, Germany, the UK, the US, and Canada) across multiple data points.

The Automotive Markets of the Six Participating Countries Follow the Safety Regulations of Australia, Europe, and the US

The car markets of the six participating countries follow the safety regulations of ANCAP (Australian New Car Assessment Program), Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program), and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Therefore, the research was conducted by aggregating the safety ratings from these three individual agencies into a new safety rating by the Global New Car Assessment Program based on the 2023 safety standards.

The study also investigated whether major safety support systems are available in all models in each country. It also confirmed whether rearview cameras, AEB (Automated Emergency Braking), and lane assist features were standard in all base models in the study countries.

Seal and Dolphin Score High Due to Adherence to 2023 Safety Standards

However, not all models, including the BYD Seal and Dolphin, are available in all markets, such as North America. Therefore, an estimated score was calculated by averaging the index scores from the other two safety organizations (ANCAP and Euro NCAP) to account for this. Meanwhile, the Seal and Dolphin’s high ranking was mainly due to their testing using the latest safety standards.

Despite having a higher individual safety score than the Seal and Dolphin, the Tesla Model Y saw a 25% reduction in its score because it was tested using safety standards from 2020 to 2022. On the other hand, both the Seal and Dolphin received five stars using the 2023 safety standards from ANCAP and Euro NCAP. Also, equipping models for the Australian and European markets with standard features such as a 360° camera, lane assist, and AEB seemed to have helped them rise in the rankings.