特斯拉為何如此安全：英語精讀講義

Car safety has improved drastically over the years

汽車安全性在過去幾年裡有了極大的提升，

and one company appears to be leading the pack. 慣用語

而有一家公司似乎正處於領先地位。

Teslas have consistently received five-star ratings from organizations 片語搭配

特斯拉持續獲得了各機構給出的五顆星安全評級，

that perform crash tests

這些進行撞擊測試的機構

such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

包括美國公路安全保險協會（IIHS）。

One reason you'd be safer in a Tesla 文法

坐在特斯拉裡你會更安全的其中一個原因

is that the electric cars don't have an engine,

是這些電動車沒有引擎，

so all that steel and aluminum at the front

因此車頭部位的那些鋼材和鋁材

crumples and absorbs much of the impact

會發生潰縮並吸收大部分衝擊力，

preventing it from being transmitted to the occupants. 文法

避免撞擊力傳遞給車內乘客。

The lack of an engine isn't the only reason they're safe.

缺少引擎並不是它們安全的唯一原因。

It has to do with the overall structure of the vehicle. 片語搭配

這還跟車輛的整體結構有關。

They're difficult to roll over 片語動詞

它們很難發生翻車，

because they have a low center of gravity 用詞

因為它們的重心很低，

since the heavy battery pack and the electric motors

沉重的電池組和電動馬達

sit low in the vehicle.

都位於車輛的底部。

The American road safety regulator NHTSA 文化背景

美國道路安全監管機構NHTSA

determined that the mid-size SUV, the Model Y,

認定這款中型SUV——Model Y，

has a rollover risk of about 8%.

發生翻車的風險大約只有8%。

Tesla says that's the lowest risk

特斯拉表示，這是所有已生產的SUV中

of any SUV ever built

翻車風險最低的，

and lower than the chances of the Model X flipping over.

甚至比Model X翻車的機率還要低。

In the unfortunate event that it does overturn, 片語搭配

如果真的不幸發生翻車，

the Tesla relies on the strength of its roof

特斯拉會依靠其車頂的強度

to protect the people inside.

來保護車內人員。

The Model 3's roof has been found 文法

經測試，Model 3的車頂

to resist more than 20,000 lb of force,

能承受超過20,000磅的力，

nearly six times its own weight

幾乎是其自身重量的六倍，

or as Tesla points out,

或者正如特斯拉所指出的那樣，

it can withstand the weight of about

它可以承受大約

two full-grown African elephants.

兩頭成年非洲象的重量。

The part of a car that offers the least amount of protection 片語搭配

汽車能提供最少保護的部位

is the side

是側面，

since there's no area designed to crumple

因為與車頭和車尾不同，

unlike the front and rear ends.

側面沒有設計用來吸能潰縮的區域。

To get over this side panel weakness, 片語動詞

為了克服側面板的這一弱點，

Teslas have been heavily reinforced 片語搭配

特斯拉進行了大幅加固，

with ultra high-grade steel

使用超高強度鋼材，

shown in teal blue

圖中以藍綠色顯示，

while the battery pack also acts as a barrier. 片語搭配

同時電池組也充當了一道屏障。

If there is a side collision,

如果發生側面撞擊，

the Model 3 has a thick curtain airbag

Model 3配備了厚實的側氣簾，

that also contributes to a high safety rating.

這也為其高安全評級做出了貢獻。

A real-world example comes to mind. 表達脈絡

我想到了一個真實的案例。

In Oregon recently,

最近在俄勒岡州，

the driver of a Model S crashed into a pole,

一輛Model S的駕駛撞上了一根電線桿，

hit two trees, and a telephone box.

接著撞了兩棵樹和一個電話亭。

The impact was so severe 文法

撞擊非常猛烈，

that hundreds of small batteries

以至於數百個

that work together to power the Tesla

為特斯拉共同供電的小電池

were ejected onto the road.

都被甩到了路上。

Despite the damage, 文法

儘管車輛受損嚴重，

the driver walked away with only minor injuries. 慣用語

這位駕駛卻只受了輕傷，自己走了出來。

Teslas have also been engineered

特斯拉在工程設計上

to try to prevent accidents in the first place. 慣用語

也致力於從一開始就預防事故發生。

A safety feature detects when the vehicle

其中一項安全功能可以偵測車輛

is drifting into another lane

是否偏離到了其他車道，

and then steers itself back

然後自動將其轉向拉回；

and the automatic emergency braking

而自動緊急煞車功能

recognizes obstacles and stops the car on its own.

能辨識障礙物並自動將車停下。

But there are still some kinks to be ironed out. 慣用語

但仍有一些問題有待解決。

When European safety experts Euro NCAP

當歐洲安全專家Euro NCAP

tested the braking system on a Model X,

對Model X的煞車系統進行測試時，

it avoided hitting a dummy resembling a child 文法

它在以25公里/小時的速度行駛時

while traveling at 25 km/h

成功避免了撞上一個兒童假人，

but not at 30 km/h

但在30公里/小時的速度下卻沒能避開，

though it did reduce the speed before impact. 文法

儘管它在撞擊前確實降低了速度。

This type of technology isn't new.

這類技術並不新鮮。

Volvo introduced an auto braking function

Volvo早在十多年前

over a decade ago,

就推出了自動煞車功能，

but Teslas differ because of their more advanced sensors

但特斯拉的不同之處在於其更先進的感測器，

which should technically be better at avoiding collisions. 文法

理論上在避免撞擊方面應該表現更好。

A combination of cameras, radar, 文法

攝影機、雷達

and ultrasonic sensors help with navigation.

以及超音波感測器的組合共同協助導航。

The goal is to eventually have the vehicles drive themselves 文法

最終的目標是讓這些車輛能夠完全自動駕駛，

with no human driver at all.

完全不需要人類駕駛。

You might say level five autonomy is the Holy Grail. 慣用語

你可能會說Level 5自動駕駛是終極目標。

Tesla's not quite there yet 慣用語

特斯拉還沒完全達到那個水準，

but is moving in that direction.

但正在朝著那個方向邁進。

Select customers have been able to beta test 用詞

特定的客戶已經能夠對

its full self-driving software

其完全自動駕駛軟體進行測試，

which works on both city streets and highways

該軟體在城市街道和高速公路上都能運作，

without any help from the driver.

無需駕駛的任何協助。

However, the driver still has to pay attention

然而，駕駛仍然需要保持注意力，

and be ready to step in 片語動詞

並在車輛未能做出正確反應時

if the vehicle fails to respond properly.

隨時準備接手。

So it's not yet autonomous

所以它還不是完全自動駕駛，

and if you ask rivals, that won't ever happen.

並且如果你問競爭對手，這永遠不可能實現。

The CEO of Waymo,

Waymo的執行長，

formerly known as Google's self-driving project, 片語搭配

也就是前Google自動駕駛專案，

dismissed Elon Musk's company as a competitor 用詞

並不認為Elon Musk的公司是競爭對手，

saying he doesn't think Teslas will ever be autonomous.

並表示他不認為特斯拉能實現完全自動駕駛。

Musk fired back tweeting 片語動詞

Musk在推特上反擊道，

Tesla has better AI hardware and software than Waymo.

特斯拉擁有比Waymo更好的人工智慧軟硬體。

Tesla's full-self-driving software is believed 文法

特斯拉的完全自動駕駛軟體被認為

to be propelling its vehicles from level two autonomy 文化背景

正在將其車輛從Level 2自動駕駛

to level three.

推進到Level 3。

The tech is a considerable improvement from Autopilot

這項技術比Autopilot有了顯著提升，

which has cruise control but fewer features than full-self-driving

後者具有定速巡航功能，但功能不如完全自動駕駛豐富，

and is most often limited to highway use. 片語搭配

且通常侷限於高速公路使用。

With any system that isn't fully autonomous, 文法

對於任何非完全自動駕駛的系統，

the driver has to remain alert.

駕駛都必須保持警覺。

Not doing so can have fatal consequences. 文法

否則可能會導致致命後果。

In 2018, a Model X on Autopilot

2018年，一輛開啟了Autopilot的Model X

drove into a concrete barrier in California

在加州撞上了混凝土護欄，

killing the Apple engineer who had been playing

導致一名正在玩iPhone遊戲

a game on his iPhone

且未能及時接手方向盤的

and failed to take over the steering of the car. 片語動詞

Apple工程師喪生。

Although there have been concerns about the safety of automated Teslas, 文法

儘管人們對特斯拉自動駕駛的安全性存在擔憂，

the company has still received stellar safety ratings

但該公司每推出一款新車型，

with each new model it produces.

依然能獲得極高的安全評級。

But five stars is not necessarily unprecedented. 用詞

但五顆星評級並非絕無僅有。

The gas-powered Lexus ES 350 and the electric Audi e-tron

燃油車Lexus ES 350和電動車Audi e-tron

both scored an overall safety rating of five

都在NHTSA的評級中

on the NHTSA scale.

獲得了五顆星的整體安全評分。

What's most important is the likelihood 文法

最重要的是

of someone getting injured or killed.

有人受傷或致死的可能性。

Tesla once touted the mass-market Model 3 用詞

特斯拉曾大肆宣傳其面向大眾市場的Model 3

as the safest car ever built.

是有史以來最安全的汽車。

Regulators took issue with that bold statement. 慣用語

監管機構對這種大膽的說法提出了異議。

In a letter to Tesla,

在給特斯拉的一封信中，

NHTSA accused the company of misleading consumers 片語搭配

NHTSA指責該公司誤導消費者，

because they said it was inappropriate

因為他們表示

to rank vehicles of different weights.

將不同重量的車輛放在一起排名是不合適的。

Tesla shot back saying its statement was based

特斯拉反擊稱其聲明是基於

on NHTSA's own calculations

NHTSA自己的計算結果，

and the scuffle hasn't ended there.

並且爭論並未就此結束。

In January, the government agency asked Tesla

1月份，該政府機構要求特斯拉

to recall 158,000 Model S and Model X's 用詞

召回15.8萬輛Model S和Model X，

over failing touchscreens

原因是觸控螢幕出現故障，

which it said could increase the risk of crashes.

他們表示這可能會增加撞擊風險。

As of the making of this video, 片語搭配

截至本影片製作時，

Tesla hasn't publicly made a statement.

特斯拉尚未公開發表聲明。

So depending on who you ask, 表達脈絡

因此，取決於你問的是誰，

it's up for debate whether Teslas are the safest vehicles out there, 片語搭配

特斯拉是否是市面上最安全的汽車還有待商榷，

but it appears they're leading the pack

但它們似乎正處於領先地位，

and as the technology continues to improve, 表達脈絡

而且隨著技術的不斷進步，

the hope is that safety will accelerate with it. 慣用語

人們希望安全性也能隨之大幅提升。

I hope you enjoyed the story.

希望你喜歡這個故事。

I'm Cindy Pom.

我是Cindy Pom。

Just a little bit of an update for you.

給你們更新一點我的近況。

For the past four years, I've lived in Europe,

過去四年裡，我住在歐洲，

first in Paris, then in London,

先在Paris，然後在London，

but I've recently made the decision to return home. 片語搭配

但最近我決定回家了。

So welcome to my little studio here in Toronto

所以歡迎來到我在Toronto的小工作室，

where I will be bringing you more stories every single week.

在這裡我每週都會給你們帶來更多的故事。

I will see you very soon.

我們很快再見。