---
title: "Consumer Reports Upgrades Tesla’s Newest Model to Top Safety Rating"
description: "Consumer Reports has now returned the Model S to the top safety rating category after downgrading it earlier in the year."
date: "2017-07-26"
modified: "2017-07-26"
authors:
  - name: "Karla Lant"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/karla"
url: "https://futurism.com/consumer-reports-upgrades-teslas-newest-model-to-top-safety-rating"
categories:
  - "Advanced Transport"
  - "Tesla"
tags:
  - "consumer reports"
  - "Self-driving cars"
  - "tesla"
---

# Consumer Reports Upgrades Tesla’s Newest Model to Top Safety Rating

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/section-initial-original.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/images/model-s/section-initial-original.jpg?2017" target="\_blank"\>Tesla\</a\>\</em\>*

*Consumer Reports* and Tesla have [been at odds](<https://electrek.co/2017/07/25/tesla-model-s-consumer-reports-automatic-emergency-braking/>) quite a bit in the past few years. In October of 2015, Tesla stocks fell when *Consumer Reports* [called the cars unreliable](<http://www.consumerreports.org/cars-tesla-reliability-doesnt-match-its-high-performance/>). Then again this year, Tesla's stock fell after *Consumer Reports* downgraded the Model S because the second generation Autopilot hardware's Automatic Emergency Braking wasn't [enabled at highway speeds](<http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tesla-regains-some-of-its-standing-with-consumer-reports-2017-05-23>).

![Image Credit: Tesla](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/model-3.jpg>)
*Image Credit: Tesla*

However, Tesla updated the feature, and *Consumer Reports* has now returned the Model S to the top safety rating category. *[Consumer Reports](<http://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/tesla-model-s-tops-consumer-reports-ratings-after-getting-key-safety-feature/>)*[ writes](<http://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/tesla-model-s-tops-consumer-reports-ratings-after-getting-key-safety-feature/>): “CR’s engineers then verified at our test track that the AEB operated at higher speeds by driving the electric Model S at a target that mimics the back of a car. We also verified that Tesla had sent the software update to its other cars by checking online forums and inspecting cars at Tesla dealerships.”Meanwhile, it remains a fact of life that various studies on autonomous vehicles and car fatalities all indicate that [self-driving cars will save lives](<https://futurism.com/neil-degrasse-tyson-self-driving-cars-will-save-lives>). In the US alone, around [30,000 to 40,000 people](<https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/09/self-driving-cars-could-save-300000-lives-per-decade-in-america/407956/>) die in auto accidents annually, about [94 percent](<https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812115>) of which are caused by human error. Bizarrely, [around six million drivers](<http://newsroom.aaa.com/2016/07/nearly-80-percent-of-drivers-express-significant-anger-aggression-or-road-rage/>) admitted they hit other cars intentionally, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). It seems obvious that self-driving cars are the safest option and, when integrated into everyday life, will save lives.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlalant>)  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/KarlaLant>)