Elon Musk blasts Tesla crash coverage, as NHTSA backs models

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to the recent focus on the safety of Tesla vehicles tweeting that it is “super messed up” that the recent crash is getting so much attention while “thousands of accidents involving traditional vehicles get almost no attention.”

The tweet, which pointed to a Washington Post/Associated Press article, was in reference to a crash that occurred on May 12, in which a Tesla Model S with semi-autonomous autopilot rear-ended a fire department truck at 60 mph.

Commenting on the incident Musk added, "What's actually amazing about this accident is that a Model S hit a fire truck at 60 mph and the driver only broke an ankle …. An impact at that speed usually results in severe injury or death."

The National Safety Council estimated that automotive fatalities topped 40,000 in 2017.

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board announced its fourth investigation of a Tesla crash, this time involving a Tesla Model S slamming into a concrete median in Florida and bursting into flames, killing two teenagers and leaving a third injured.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which rates the safety of vehicles, has bestowed top honors on many Tesla vehicles. Last June, they released their assessment of the Model X SUV, five stars across every test category. A five-star rating is the highest rating that the NHTSA awards.

According to the latest NHTSA ratings, the 2018 Tesla X 75D is rated five star in all categories except rollover, where it has not been rated, the 2017 Model X 90 D is 5 star in all categories, and the 2017 Model S has a five-star rating in all categories.