[clear_dg]

To call this "cheating", you have to assume that car manufacturers are more knowledgeable about car safety in general than NHTSA, to be able to spot the loopholes. It may be true, they have more resources to invest in research and to hire experts in this domain, after all.

Still, I prefer to follow Hanlon's razor, and not assume malice. This kind of mistake always seem obvious in hindsight, but if it was, why was there no one warning about it at the time?

[gcb0]

yes they are. nhtsa and others require so much preparation and analysis for each test that for the cost of one run the makers can run upwards of 1000 chasis compresion test which will cover every angle imaginable. so yes, the manufacturers know a lot more. but it is practical knowldge not cerfied and traceable and repeatable.