Vehicle safety is global - Global NCAP
Vehicle safety is global - Global NCAP
Vehicle safety is global - Global NCAP
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euroncap.com<br />
2 Place du Luxembourg<br />
1050 Brussels<br />
BELGIUM<br />
T +32 2 400 77 40<br />
info@euroncap.com<br />
The European New Car Assessment Programme provides consumers<br />
with a real<strong>is</strong>tic and independent assessment of the <strong>safety</strong> performance<br />
of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. The organization has<br />
had an important influence on vehicle designs, leading to fewer traffic<br />
deaths on European roads.<br />
Establ<strong>is</strong>hed in 1997, Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> <strong>is</strong> a nonprofit international association,<br />
independent of the automotive industry. It’s backed by seven European<br />
governments (France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United<br />
Kingdom, Luxembourg, and the Catalonia region of Spain), consumer<br />
groups through International Consumer Research and Testing, European<br />
motoring clubs through the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile,<br />
and the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre (Thatcham).<br />
CURRENT crashWORThiness programs<br />
<strong>Vehicle</strong> buyers owe it to themselves and their families to choose the<br />
safest vehicle. To do so they need reliable, accurate, and unbiased<br />
comparative information regarding the <strong>safety</strong> performance of individual<br />
models. By law, all new models must pass <strong>safety</strong> tests before they<br />
are sold, but these are minimum standards. Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> encourages<br />
manufacturers to exceed these minimum requirements. Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> has<br />
tested more than 400 vehicles since 1997.<br />
Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> releases an overall rating with a maximum of 5 stars for each<br />
vehicle. The rating <strong>is</strong> compr<strong>is</strong>ed of scores in four important areas:<br />
• adult protection (driver and passenger)<br />
• child protection<br />
The underlying dynamic tests include full-scale frontal and side-impact<br />
tests, front-end component tests for pedestrian protection, and sled<br />
tests for whiplash prevention during rear-end crashes. Seat belt<br />
reminders, speed limiters, and electronic stability control also boost a<br />
vehicle’s rating.<br />
Rewarding New Technologies: Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> Advanced<br />
Since 2010, Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> has been rewarding vehicle manufacturers<br />
that make available new technologies that provide a scientifically proven<br />
<strong>safety</strong> benefit for consumers and society. Many of these technologies<br />
focus on avoiding crashes by informing, adv<strong>is</strong>ing, and alerting drivers<br />
about dangerous situations. Some of them initiate autonomous braking<br />
as well. Recognizing these advances under Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> Advanced provides<br />
an incentive to manufacturers to accelerate the availability of new<br />
<strong>safety</strong> equipment across their model ranges and helps vehicle buyers<br />
factor these features into their purchase dec<strong>is</strong>ions.<br />
fUTURE Plans<br />
In 2012-15, Euro <strong>NCAP</strong> will be conducting extensive reviews of almost<br />
all its testing and assessment procedures. The objective <strong>is</strong> to make the<br />
5-star rating system even more meaningful in terms of real-world performance<br />
and the advancement of <strong>safety</strong> technology. Work has commenced<br />
on the development of an additional full-width frontal impact<br />
test using different-size dummies. There are also plans to implement a<br />
number of new test procedures focusing on emerging crash avoidance<br />
technologies and speed support systems.<br />
• pedestrian protection<br />
• <strong>safety</strong> ass<strong>is</strong>t technologies