11:14am Monday 17th November 2008
By Glynn Williams
CRASH test champions Euro NCAP this week moves closer to its vision “for safer cars” with the release of details about the scoring behind the organisation’s new car safety rating.
With the implementation of the new rating scheduled for 2009, vehicles tested by Euro NCAP from this date will undergo a much tougher assessment. Euro NCAP also reveals its high ambitions for manufacturers: without an electronic stability program (ESC, or ESP), the achievement of five stars will no longer be possible.
Euro NCAP’s new scheme will see the introduction of a new five-star single overall vehicle safety rating replacing the current star ratings in use since 1997.
This new star rating, Euro NCAP believes, will provide the simplest and clearest advice to the consumer about the overall safety performance of his chosen vehicle.
The overall rating will be composed from scores achieved in four areas of assessment – adult occupant, child occupant, pedestrian protection and a new area: safety assist.
Safety assist will allow Euro NCAP to consider driver assistance systems and active safety technologies, which play an increasingly important role in accident avoidance and injury mitigation. The new scheme provides Euro NCAP with the means to actively drive safety forwards in critical areas, maximising the potential impact on road casualty reduction on European roads.
Under the new scoring system, vehicles will need to do well in each area of assessment to achieve a good overall result. In particular, it will be impossible for a carmaker to achieve five stars in the tested vehicle without the standard fitment of electronic stability control (ESC) in the majority of variants sold.
Statistics reveal ESC plays such a major role in reducing deaths on our roads, Euro NCAP believes no car should be able to achieve five stars without it.
First results for vehicles tested under the new rating system will be released in February 2009. From this date, consumers should look out for the new overall Euro NCAP star rating for their vehicle.
This shows the car has been subject to a tougher assessment in the achievement of its final award.
Consumers interested in a particular area of assessment such as adult protection or child protection will still be able to compare different vehicles as the individual scores that make up the overall rating will also be available on Euro NCAP’s website euroncap.com.
Euro NCAP has also begun testing seats of vehicles crash tested in 2008 to gauge their performance in rear impact and whiplash protection. From 2009, this whiplash test will automatically be included as part of Euro NCAP’s first area of assessment Adult Occupant Protection.
Since 1997, Euro NCAP ratings have become known as the reliable indicator of independent consumer information about car safety.
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