Vehicle safety is global - Global NCAP

The world
is getting
smaller.
In today’s global marketplace the options for goods and services are endless, but it can be hard for consumers to
sort through them and make choices that are in their best interests. Nowhere is that more true than in the worldwide
automotive market, where new car buyers are presented with a dizzying array of vehicles in all shapes, sizes,
and price ranges that come with a wide variety of features and safety technologies.
Fortunately, vehicle buyers can increasingly turn for guidance to independent new car assessment and crash
test programs that have been established or are being set up in countries around the world. By operating vehicle
test programs under internationally recognized protocols, these New Car Assessment Programs (NCAPs) aim to
provide consumers with safety information that will assist their purchasing decisions.
The United Nations resolution proclaiming 2011-20 the Decade of Action for Road Safety lists vehicle safety as
a central pillar of the road safety activities. The UN’s global plan for the decade of action calls on countries to
encourage implementation of NCAPs in all regions of the world and to recognize the importance of safety belts, as
well as more recent innovations such as electronic stability control and antilock braking systems in motorcycles.
These features have been promoted and factored into vehicle testing by NCAPs for years. In the global automotive
marketplace, consumers’ rights are being championed by these programs, with support from a range of stakeholders
including governments, motoring clubs, and insurers.
NCAP: Vehicle Safety is Global is the theme for this joint presence by a number of NCAPs at this ESV Conference.
It reflects the strategic aim that consumers around the world should have access to safety ratings and information
when shopping for a new vehicle.
Please read on to learn about the activities of these various New Car Assessment Programs and the way they
operate in their different countries and regions.4