Tesla Model Y and BYD Atto 1 earn new five-star ANCAP ratings

BYD Atto 1 and Tesla Model Y safety ratings

The BYD Atto 1 and the updated Tesla Model Y electric cars have both earned the top five-star safety rating from ANCAP. ANCAP is an independent organization responsible for assessing the safety of new vehicles for people in Australia and New Zealand.

They use a rating system from zero to five stars, where five stars is the highest and best safety rating a car can earn. To achieve a five-star rating, a vehicle must have a high level of protection in all four major testing areas.

Tesla Model Y earns a top score with new testing

The Model Y, built from February 2025 (on sale from May 2025), holds a five-star ANCAP rating under the 2023–2025 protocol; a separate rating applies to earlier builds.

The car scored an excellent 91% in the Adult Occupant Protection category, demonstrating its adequate protection of adults. The Model Y also includes a special center airbag that helps protect front passengers from hitting each other in side-impact crashes.

BYD Atto 1 also achieves the highest five stars

Following Tesla’s success, the electric BYD Atto 1 city car also received a five-star safety rating in the latest round of ANCAP testing. This rating is based on safety tests conducted on a similar BYD Dolphin model in Europe, which shares the same safety components.

The five-star rating applies to all versions of the Atto 1 sold in both Australia and New Zealand. This small car achieved 82% in Adult Occupant Protection and earned maximum points in both the side-impact and oblique pole crash tests.

Child safety performance of the Model Y

Regarding child safety, the Tesla Model Y achieved an outstanding 95% score for Child Occupant Protection in the assessments. This critical category measures how well the car protects child dummies in their car seats during various crash scenarios.

Protection was rated as “Good” for all body areas for both the six-year-old and ten-year-old child dummies used in the testing. The car also comes fitted with the necessary ISOFIX and top tether anchorages for safely securing child restraints.

Safety Assist technology in the Model Y

Beyond crash protection, the Tesla Model Y achieved a high score of 92% in the Safety Assist technologies category. This score tests the car’s active electronic systems that help prevent a crash from occurring.

The car’s Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system performed very well in tests of its reaction to other vehicles. In tests involving cyclists, the Model Y scored maximum points for its ability to recognize and brake. It also includes a lane support system that corrects the steering if the car drifts.

Child protection and safety aids in the Atto 1

The BYD Atto 1 also demonstrated strong results in safety aids, earning an 86% score for the safety protection of child occupants in the rear seats. The car’s Safety Assist score reached 79% in crash prevention technology.

The Atto 1’s AEB system performed strongly in forward crash avoidance scenarios, helping to prevent the car from colliding with an object ahead. However, the Atto 1 does not currently offer an AEB Backover system, which detects objects when the vehicle is reversing.

Model Y protects people outside the car

Another vital safety measure is Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Protection, for which the Tesla Model Y earned a high score of 86%. VRU testing evaluates how effectively the car prevents collisions with pedestrians or cyclists and how well the car body protects them in the event of an impact.

The Model Y performed well in minimizing injury risks, especially on the hood. ANCAP’s new rules for 2023–2025 require a VRU score of at least 70% to achieve the maximum five-star rating.

Atto 1’s efforts for road users’ safety

Similarly, the BYD Atto 1 received a 76% score for Vulnerable Road User Protection in the new round of testing, successfully meeting the new 70% requirement.

The Atto 1’s Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system can respond to both pedestrians and cyclists to help avoid a collision.

During testing, the car’s bumper provided good protection to a pedestrian’s legs. The latest ANCAP rules add specific points for testing the AEB system’s reaction to motorcycles that may be crossing the car.

Strong body structure of the Tesla Model Y

These scores are possible because the Tesla Model Y features a rigid body design with large crumple zones, designed to absorb crash energy. The vehicle’s battery pack is placed very low in the car, which creates a low center of gravity.

This low placement enhances stability and reduces the likelihood of a rollover. The updated Model Y uses seven airbags, including a unique center airbag positioned between the driver and front passenger seats.

BYD Atto 1’s blade battery structure

The structural foundation of the BYD Atto 1 is its special e-Platform 3.0, which was engineered just for electric vehicles. This platform utilizes the patented Blade Battery technology, where the battery cells serve as a robust structural component of the car’s body.

The design enhances the body’s rigidity, making the car stronger and less likely to deform in the event of an accident. This improved structure is credited with the car achieving full points in the side-impact crash test for adult occupants.

New rules that both cars had to pass

Both of these cars were tested under the 2023–2025 ANCAP protocol, which includes several new rules. A significant change is the assessment of Child Presence Detection (CPD) systems, which must alert if a child is left unattended.

Both cars were also tested against new “Submerged Vehicle” requirements, which require electric systems to function for up to two minutes in water. The new rules also assess the car’s “crash compatibility” to ensure it does not pose an additional risk to other vehicles.

Want to know why analysts see more upside for Tesla even without a rating change? Read more in Bank of America raises Tesla price target without changing rating.

Why five-star ratings matter for EVs

These five-star ratings are important because they indicate that manufacturers are meeting modern safety needs across various vehicle price points. ANCAP stamps each rating with the year it was tested, such as “2025,” because safety standards constantly become stricter over time.

By meeting these high standards, electric vehicles like the Model Y and Atto 1 prove that going electric does not mean compromising on safety. The top rating helps businesses select the safest cars for their employees.

Curious how policy decisions speed up the shift to electric cars? Get the insight into the role of government in accelerating EV adoption.

Do top safety ratings influence which EV you choose? Share your thoughts below.

Read More From This Brand:

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.