The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that the Tesla Model Y has officially become the first vehicle model to pass the agency’s new benchmark for vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
These pass/fail tests were recently added to the NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), and aim to ensure that consumers have all the necessary information they need to assess the safety benefits of new technologies.
The new inclusion of ADAS within the NCAP is aimed to encourage automakers to prioritise innovations that keep families safe on the roads.
NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison, said:Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward in our efforts to provide consumers with the most comprehensive safety ratings ever.
By successfully passing these new tests, the 2026 Tesla Model Y demonstrates the lifesaving potential of driver assistance technologies and sets a high bar for the industry. We hope to see many more manufacturers develop vehicles that can meet these requirements.
All 2026 Tesla Model Y vehicles manufactured on or after 12 November 2025 have successfully met the criteria for four newly integrated advanced safety tests:
- Pedestrian automatic emergency braking
- Lane keeping assistance
- Blind spot warning
- Blind spot intervention
