Tesla Model 3
Tesla’s active safety features save apparent jaywalker from potential accident
Tesla’s active safety features helped save a woman’s life in Beijing, after the vehicle alerted the driver and abruptly came to a halt when approaching a jaywalker.
@Tesla__Mania recently shared a clip showing a Tesla traveling in a left, before encountering a woman in her attempts to cross a three-lane highway.
In any other circumstance, these conditions could have easily gone south for the pedestrian. Fortunately for her, the Tesla appears to have detected her presence as soon as she stepped into the vehicle’s lane. The all-electric vehicle was still traveling at city driving speeds before the warning chimes went off and vehicle’s Automatic Emergency Braking seemingly kicked in.
This morning in Beijing, @Tesla Automatic Emergency Braking just helped avoid hitting a woman and also saved the Tesla owner a lot of big big trouble. pic.twitter.com/Fxzlg5ezBp— TΞSLA Mania👌🦔 (@Tesla__Mania) December 18, 2019
Unfortunately, China has a reputation for being the country with the highest amount of road accident fatalities in the world. According to a 2016 article from the South China Morning Post, a World Health Organization study found that 700 people are killed a day in traffic-related incidents in the country. This indicates a death-rate of 260,000 people a year from traffic accidents, and 60 percent of these fatalities are pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. If the recent incident in Beijing is any indication, it appears that Tesla’s safety features have just prevented a person from being part of this year’s grim statistic.
Tesla rolled out Automatic Emergency Braking way back in 2015 with the version 6.2 Software Update for the Model S, and the feature has since received innumerable refinements through the company’s over-the-air updates. AEB utilizes the forward-looking cameras and radar sensor to determine the distance of an object in front, applying brakes as necessary to avoid or reduce the damage from a collision. Accounts from Tesla owners suggest that objects in the vehicle’s periphery may trigger AEB in some instances as well.
Model 3 totally nails Euro NCAP crash tests 🚘🔋 “#Model3 achieved one of the highest Safety Assist scores we've seen to date … #Tesla has made a virtue of safety in its marketing & it's great to see a car now living up to that promise.” https://t.co/Z7I5loQbeL $TSLA @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/UPH6roQ82C— Tesla New York (@TeslaNY) July 3, 2019
Automatic Emergency Braking has made headlines prior to this incident on numerous occasions. Not only has the feature saved numerous Tesla owners from accidents, but it also contributed to the Model 3 earning a “Superior” rating in Front Crash Prevention from the IIHS and the vehicle’s stellar ratings with the Euro NCAP.
It is widely known that Tesla vehicles are some of the safest cars someone could purchase. Despite numerous awards won by its fleet of vehicles, Tesla is never one to rest on its laurels, striving towards safety and innovation with the same intensity as ever. This recent incident from Beijing shows that Tesla’s ever-ongoing push towards safety is actually making a difference, and at some point, even saving lives.
News
Tesla Model 3 wins Edmunds’ Best EV of 2026 award
The publication rated the Model 3 at an 8.1 out of 10, and with its most recent upgrades and changes, Edmunds says, “This is the best Model 3 yet.”
The Tesla Model 3 has won Edmunds‘ Top Rated Electric Car of 2026 award, beating out several other highly-rated and exceptional EV offerings from various manufacturers.
This is the second consecutive year the Model 3 beat out other cars like the Model Y, Audi A6 Sportback E-tron, and the BMW i5.
The car, which is Tesla’s second-best-selling vehicle behind the popular Model Y crossover, has been in the company’s lineup for nearly a decade. It offers essentially everything consumers could want from an EV, including range, a quality interior, performance, and Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, which is one of the best in the world.
The Tesla Model 3 has won Edmunds Top EV of 2026:
“The Tesla Model 3 might be the best value electric car you can buy, combining an Edmunds Rating of 8.1 out of 10, a starting price of $43,880, and an Edmunds-tested range of 338 miles. This is the best Model 3 yet. It is… pic.twitter.com/ARFh24nnDX
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 18, 2026
The publication rated the Model 3 at an 8.1 out of 10, and with its most recent upgrades and changes, Edmunds says, “This is the best Model 3 yet.”
In its Top Rated EVs piece on its website, it said about the Model 3:
“The Tesla Model 3 might be the best value electric car you can buy, combining an Edmunds Rating of 8.1 out of 10, a starting price of $43,880, and an Edmunds-tested range of 338 miles. This is the best Model 3 yet. It is impressively well-rounded thanks to improved build quality, ride comfort, and a compelling combination of efficiency, performance, and value.”
Additionally, Jonathan Elfalan, Edmunds’ Director of Vehicle Testing, said:
“The Model 3 offers just about the perfect combination of everything — speed, range, comfort, space, tech, accessibility, and convenience. It’s a no-brainer if you want a sensible EV.”
The Model 3 is the perfect balance of performance and practicality. With the numerous advantages that an EV offers, the Model 3 also comes in at an affordable $36,990 for its Rear-Wheel Drive trim level.
News
Tesla launches new Model 3 financing deal with awesome savings
Tesla is now offering a 0.99% APR financing option for all new Model 3 orders in the United States, and it applies to all loan terms of up to 72 months.
Tesla has launched a new Model 3 financing deal in the United States that brings awesome savings. The deal looks to move more of the company’s mass-market sedan as it is the second-most popular vehicle Tesla offers, behind its sibling, the Model Y.
Tesla is now offering a 0.99% APR financing option for all new Model 3 orders in the United States, and it applies to all loan terms of up to 72 months.
It includes three Model 3 configurations, including the Model 3 Performance. The rate applies to:
- Model 3 Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive
- Model 3 Premium All-Wheel-Drive
- Model 3 Performance
The previous APR offer was 2.99%.
NEWS: Tesla has introduced 0.99% APR financing for all new Model 3 orders in the U.S. (applies to loan terms of up to 72 months).
This includes:
• Model 3 RWD
• Model 3 Premium RWD
• Model 3 Premium AWD
• Model 3 PerformanceTesla was previously offering 2.99% APR. pic.twitter.com/A1ZS25C9gM
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 15, 2026
Tesla routinely utilizes low-interest offers to help move vehicles, especially as the rates can help get people to payments that are more comfortable with their monthly budgets. Along with other savings, like those on maintenance and gas, this is another way Tesla pushes savings to customers.
The company had offered a similar program in China on the Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, but it had ended on January 31.
The Model 3 was the second-best-selling electric vehicle in the United States in 2025, trailing only the Model Y. According to automotive data provided by Cox, Tesla sold 192,440 units last year of the all-electric sedan. The Model Y sold 357,528 units.
Tesla has rolled out a new Supercharging safety feature in the United States, one that will answer concerns that some owners may have if they need to leave in a pinch.
It is also a suitable alternative for non-Tesla chargers, like third-party options that feature J1772 or CCS to NACS adapters.
The feature has been available in Europe for some time, but it is now rolling out to Model 3 and Model Y owners in the U.S.
With Software Update 2026.2.3, Tesla is launching the Unlatching Charge Cable function, which will now utilize the left rear door handle to release the charging cable from the port. The release notes state:
“Charging can now be stopped and the charge cable released by pulling and holding the rear left door handle for three seconds, provided the vehicle is unlocked, and a recognized key is nearby. This is especially useful when the charge cable doesn’t have an unlatch button. You can still release the cable using the vehicle touchscreen or the Tesla app.”
The feature was first spotted by Not a Tesla App.
This is an especially nice feature for those who commonly charge at third-party locations that utilize plugs that are not NACS, which is the Tesla standard.
For example, after plugging into a J1772 charger, you will still be required to unlock the port through the touchscreen, which is a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.
Additionally, it could be viewed as a safety feature, especially if you’re in need of unlocking the charger from your car in a pinch. Simply holding open the handle on the rear driver’s door will now unhatch the port from the car, allowing you to pull it out and place it back in its housing.
This feature is currently only available on the Model 3 and Model Y, so Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck owners will have to wait for a different solution to this particular feature.
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