Press release -

Euro NCAP releases latest safety ratings and assisted driving gradings

The passive and active safety performance of three new models have been assessed in the central rating, with the BYD Dolphin, BYD Seal and XPeng P7 achieving five-star awards.

“It was especially positive to see these cars, all manufactured by new market entrants, scoring highly in the Vulnerable Road User category,” said Alex Thompson. “Testing protocols were updated for 2023 that further encourage the protection of vulnerable road users, including the latest crash prevention systems that can detect motorcyclists. With vulnerable road users comprising around half of those killed and seriously injured annually on UK roads, there’s a clear opportunity for technology to play a key role in bringing these numbers down.”

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mercedes-EQ EQE SUV were awarded ‘very good’ ratings in Euro NCAP’s separate assisted driving gradings.

The gradings consider ‘L2’ driver assistance systems, dividing assessments into two main areas: Assistance Competence, based on the balance between Driver Engagement and Vehicle Assistance, and Safety Backup.

Tom Leggett comments: “Mercedes-Benz has produced another highly rated driver assistance system. It’s ‘very good’ award is the product of a balanced system that promotes collaboration with the driver, from how the car responds when steering inputs are required to Mercedes-Benz’s naming convention making clear that this is assisted, not self-driving, technology.”

Click the link to read more from Euro NCAP: Euro NCAP Newsroom : Chinese Manufacturers Create Waves in the European Market (newsmarket.com)

Topics

  • Business enterprise

Categories

  • car safety
  • euro ncap
  • safety tech
  • vehicle safety
  • thatcham research

Thatcham Research is the automotive risk intelligence company dedicated to understanding the opportunities and risks of new vehicle technology and supporting our partners in identifying the best strategies for its safe, secure, and sustainable adoption.

The independent voice of automotive safety, security, and repair, we work in close partnership with insurers, vehicle manufacturers, technology providers and government, providing rigorous engineering-grade research and data to help minimise uncertainty presented by changes in technology and regulation.

The ability to repair vehicles safely and affordably is critical to sustainability, and Thatcham Research experts working across the business and in our state-of-the-art Repair Technology Centre produce a wide range of vehicle repair data, ranging from light structural research to full body methods. Thatcham Research is also a founder member of the international Research Council for Automobile Repairs (RCAR).

In addition, thousands of repair technicians have been trained in the Thatcham Research Automotive Academy, bringing vital new skills into the industry.

As an influential member of Euro NCAP, we have played a key role in raising safety standards high above regulation. We have contributed to the development of the Euro NCAP 2030 Roadmap; pioneered whiplash testing and prevention; and we lead the way in designing crash avoidance and assisted driving assessments.

Thatcham Research also runs and administers the Association of British Insurer’s (ABI) Group Rating system, providing dynamic risk intelligence that enables automotive insurers to price effectively. It provides an indicative view of the relative risk associated with a vehicle compared to others and is based on various factors, including Thatcham Research’s New Vehicle Security Assessment (NVSA), an internationally renowned benchmark which addresses evolving digital theft trends.

For more information about our work, visit www.thatcham.org

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Stewart Mitchell

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