In 2022, there were an estimated 52.2 million vehicles sold in the U.S. According to a 2023 consumer study from analytics firm S&P Global, 81% of respondents said they were buyers who are willing to pay more for vehicles with higher safety ratings. Ninety-two percent of those surveyed said safety ratings are “somewhat” or “very important” when buying a vehicle.
A TikTok video with more than 10 million views appears to show the chances of survival in various Ford models as tractor-trailers slam into the cars from behind. For example, the video claims there would be a 0% chance of survival in a Ford Bronco, while there would be a 13% chance of survival in a Ford Taurus.
People in the comments questioned if the video shows an actual crash test.
THE QUESTION
Is this viral video showing a crash test on Ford vehicles real?
THE SOURCES
- BeamNG, a driving simulation game
- InVid and RevEye, video forensics tools
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
THE ANSWER
No, this viral video showing a crash test on Ford vehicles isn’t real. This video and several others like it are computer-generated imagery (CGI), created with a game called BeamNG.
WHAT WE FOUND
The viral video clip doesn’t show a real-life safety test of various Ford vehicle models. It was actually created by a user of the simulation video game BeamNG and is CGI. In order to confirm the video is CGI, VERIFY considered our checklist for spotting computer-generated videos:
- Look for red flags that indicate the video isn’t realistic
- Do a reverse search of the video
- Check the credits or captions
- Get confirmation from primary sources
- Compare it to other reliable, reputable sources
Look for red flags
The first red flag in the simulation is the style of the entire video. The video is lacking texture and the scenery, like the dirt in the foreground of the video, appears stylized and animated.
When the wall is struck by the vehicles, it has a “bouncing” effect that appears animated.
The tractor-trailer doesn’t appear to sustain any real damage when it’s striking some of the Ford vehicles. Considering the amount of damage inflicted on the different vehicles, there should be more damage done to the tractor-trailer. The vehicles crashing into the wall also leave no mark on the road below or on the wall.
The texture of the vehicles in the viral video is too smooth. This video of actual crash tests of a Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, in comparison, is more realistic.
The vehicles crashing into the wall also leave no mark on the road below or on the wall.
Do a reverse search of the video
You can reverse search a video by taking recognizable images from the video and then doing a reverse image search. You can use a screenshotting tool to do this, or InVid, a video forensics tool.
With this video, VERIFY used InVid to isolate the keyframes. We then used reverse-search tool RevEye and found other similar simulations that have been shared online for months. VERIFY previously fact-checked a different crash-test video and found it was fake.
The video we fact-checked previously was also created with BeamNG, a computer-based video game that uses realistic graphics to simulate the handling and damage to vehicles. It allows users to build, drive and crash realistic-appearing vehicles.
By conducting a reverse image search, we were able to find the video in question has similarities to popular videos that were confirmed to be created with BeamNG.
We also found this video has only been shared by users who use hashtags connected to the game, and not by any reputable sources.
Check the credits and captions
The #BeamNG hashtag was used with several of the similar simulation videos we found on TikTok. That hashtag has also been used with the #gaming hashtag, which is an indication video-game software was used to create the clip.
The video with millions of views was shared by TikTok user ZERO BeamNG. While VERIFY is unable to confirm if this user is the original creator of the Ford crash test video, we did find several other videos that look similar to the Ford one on the account. For example, in this video, a Ford Explorer, Toyota Prado and Land Rover Defender are among the models being crushed into a wall. VERIFY reached out to ZERO BeamNG, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
Get confirmation from primary sources
After VERIFY checked the credits, we went to BeamNG’s website. Players can manipulate different components of vehicles that affect the strength of the car. Because of these customizations, the vehicles seen in the viral clip are not true representations of how those vehicle brands could be damaged if a tractor-trailer truck going 30 miles per hour hit them into a wall.
“While our platform is capable of producing extremely realistic results when provided with accurate data and models, it is still a simulation that, depending on the circumstances, can be close to or far from real-life results,” a BeamNG spokesperson told VERIFY.
Compare the video to other reliable, reputable sources
The scene depicted in the viral video is not an accurate representation of how vehicles are safety tested.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) administer safety tests and ratings.
According to the IIHS, a rear-end crash test is conducted by attaching the vehicle's seat to a moving sled, which is then struck by a vehicle of the same weight.
The NHTSA sometimes conducts sled tests to demonstrate the rear impact. A barrier is attached to a moving sled and the barrier is used to strike a vehicle in those tests.
VERIFY found no evidence that a tractor-trailer truck has been used to smash another vehicle into a wall as part of any official safety test.
Further, the safety ratings for each of the Ford vehicles seen in the viral video are good. Follow these safety rating links for the Ford Bronco, 1967 Ford Mustang, Ford Taurus, Ford Fusion, Ford Explorer, Ford F-150, Ford Focus, Ford Expedition and a Ford Crown Victoria.
The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter, text alerts and our YouTube channel. You can also follow us on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Learn More »