Explained: new EuroNCAP
February 19th, 2009 by Richard Aucock
EURO NCAP has changed for 2009. No longer will star ratings be based on driver crash protection alone.
Instead, the famous Euro NCAP 5 star ratings will now be made up of 4 elements. Car Dealer can explain here the changes you should be communicating to customers.
The new Euro NCAP rating will be weighted, by the following rules:
Adult – 50%
Child – 20%
Pedestrian – 20%
Safety assist – 10%
A car must score a minimum of 70% overall to get a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.
ONLY cars fitted with safety assist systems across 85% of the model range will qualify for inclusion.
What are the categories?
Adult – the existing occupant protection measure. This includes body structure stability and airbag deployment.
Child – how well the car protects babies and children in a crash. Focuses on child safety seat integration.
Pedestrian – how harmful the front end of the car is to pedestrians on impact. For this reason, cars have longer noses, softer bumpers and taller profiles.
Safety assist – the inclusion of electronic safety aids – the key one being ESP anti-skid control. Speed limiter devices and other gadgets are included here, too.
Car Dealer has already explained some of the ramifications of the new Euro NCAP tests. We will also be reporting on the first cars to be tested under the new scheme, out today.
For now, though, here’s your print-out-and-keep guide to just how the new Euro NCAP results work.
By Richard Aucock