[Original] Finally! Tesla Model 3 Technology Explained

Based on the architecture of the Model S and Model X, Tesla developed the body of the Model 3. Before Model 3 came to the market, the Model S had the lowest probability of personal injury of any model. Passing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Model X comes in a close second. Now, NHTSA test results show that Model 3 not only has a full five-star safety rating in every category and sub-category but also has the lowest probability of injury of any model tested.

The Tesla Model 3, Model S, and Model X models come in the top three with the lowest injury risk. The risk comes from the list of all models tested by NHTSA since 2011. The body structure is the foundation of the vehicle’s safety performance. And the Tesla Model 3 body design draws on a lot of experience from the Model S design.

Tesla comes with a weight distribution ratio of nearly 1:1 between the front and rear axles. And the higher weight of the battery pack that comes on the chassis effectively lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity and makes it more stable. At the same time, the use of a large amount of high-strength steel gives the vehicle a robust body structure. The structure can effectively maintain occupant survival space in the event of a collision.

The Tesla Model 3’s body comes from a variety of alloys to ensure its overall strength while achieving a lighter weight. We can see that the vehicle’s A-pillar, B-pillar, longitudinal beam, front of the cabin and battery Pack are all made of the strongest ultra-high-strength rigid material. The material protects the occupants while also providing safety for the battery Pack. A comparison of the battery Pack protection structure of the Tesla Model S and Model 3 clearly shows that the Tesla Model 3 body protection structure does a much better job.

At Tesla’s new product launch on 19 October 2016, Elon Musk announced that with immediate effect, all models produced by Tesla will be equipped with hardware with a fully automated driving function. The Tesla Model 3, the latest model, naturally comes with this system as standard. Tesla contains eight cameras covering a 360-degree visibility range and monitoring the surrounding environment up to 250m away. In addition to this, the vehicle is equipped with 12 ultrasonic sensors to complete the vision system. It is for detecting and sensing hard and soft objects at nearly twice the distance of the previous generation system.

The enhanced front radar provides richer data of the surroundings through redundant wavelengths, and the radar waves can travel through heavy rain, fog, dust, and even vehicles ahead. To make better use of this data, the vehicle is equipped with a processor with 40 times faster computing power than the previous generation.

In addition to the fully automated Assisted Driving hardware as standard, Tesla also offers the optional ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ feature. Tesla adds more functionality to the current Autopilot experience – the vehicle will be able to adjust speed to traffic conditions; stay in lanes; change lanes automatically without driver intervention; switch from one motorway to another; exit the motorway as you approach your destination; park automatically as you approach a car park, and be at your beck and call in the garage.

In the past, it cost 46,300 RMB to turn on Autopilot as an option. But now Tesla China has changed Autopilot from an option to a standard feature. A move that actually reduces the price of the Tesla Model 3 in disguise, helping to boost sales.

Editor’s Comment: From a positioning point of view, the Model 3 is undoubtedly Tesla’s entry model. However, from a technical point of view, the Model 3 is arguably Tesla’s strongest product and most technically advanced model at present. The excellent performance and range make this car king-like in its segment. I believe it will be a benchmark product for a long time to come.