New Rating System to Address Low Pedestrian Scores

Publication date: 27 August 2008

Euro NCAP today releases the results for five cars in five different vehicle classes: the Daihatsu Cuore, Hyundai i30, Lancia Delta, Renault Koleos and the Mercedes Benz - ML class. Four of these five cars received the maximum five-star award for adult occupant protection. Yet, not one of them achieved higher than a two star score in Euro NCAP’s pedestrian rating. Euro NCAP plans to address this concern with the launch of a new rating system in 2009.

When Euro NCAP was established in 1997 the achievement of five stars in adult occupant protection did not even seem possible. Ten years later, out of the 34 car models tested and assessed by Euro NCAP in one year, 97% of them achieve either a four or a five star result. Yet there are still areas of safety that Euro NCAP believes need to be prioritised by manufacturers and where lives could be saved. In comparison to these good adult occupant protection results, no manufacturer achieves a four star result in pedestrian protection. In our tests last year, 67% of models were awarded just two stars in this rating, despite approaching legislation. Euro NCAP is concerned that many manufacturers set out to achieve high scores for adult occupant protection to attract consumers, whilst compromising safety investment in other areas. Euro NCAP believes that consumers are interested in the safety offered to all occupants and also to other road users when they are choosing a new car. For this reason, Euro NCAP is developing a new rating system that will reward the overall safety of a vehicle.

Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP says ‘I am delighted that more and more manufacturers are achieving five stars in our crash-tests, but it is imperative that Euro NCAP continues to set higher benchmarks for car makers to aspire to. Our new rating system will do this. I have no doubt that manufacturers will step up to the challenge, just as they did when we first started. The creation of new technologies means enhanced safety performance and a potential reduction of fatalities on our roads.

We intend to reward those manufacturers that make this their ultimate goal.’ The maximum rating in Euro NCAP’s new system will continue to be five stars. However, the new overall rating will reflect the protection offered to adult and child occupants as well as pedestrians and will, for the first time, consider the safety potential of advanced driver assistance technologies such as electronic stability control. The assessment of adult occupant protection will be expanded to include whiplash testing.

The first results for vehicles tested under this new rating system will be released in February 2009. Further details about the new whiplash test and new rating system will be released towards the end of the year. Of the five cars whose results are released today, four achieved Euro NCAP’s maximum five-star rating for Adult Occupant Protection. Only two of the five cars achieved a four star score in Child Occupant Protection. Results released today are for cars in the categories Supermini, Small Family, Large Family, Small Off-Roader and Large Off-Roader. The ratings for these cars can be seen in more detail at www.euroncap.com.

Euro NCAP’s test results are released on a quarterly basis. Keep checking our website for details of forthcoming results.

For further information please contact: Sinziana Radu Gille, Communications Manager +32 2 2820816

RATING	Adult Occupant Protection	Child Occupant Protection	Pedestrian Protection
SUPERMINI Daihatsu Cuore	4 stars	3 stars	2 stars
SMALL FAMILY Hyundai i30	5 stars	4 stars	2 stars
LARGE FAMILY Lancia Delta	5 stars	3 stars	2 stars
SMALL OFF-ROADER Renault Koleos	5 stars	4 stars	2 stars
LARGE OFF-ROADER Mercedes Benz - ML	5 stars	3 stars	1 star

Editors’ notes

1. With the introduction of the Child Occupant Protection rating it is important to refer to the Adult Occupant Protection rating correctly. In the past, this has been referred to as the “Overall” or “Occupant” rating. Neither of these is now satisfactory.
2. The front impact test is conducted at 64km/h (40mph) into an offset deformable barrier, the side impact test 50km/h (30mph), the pole test at 29km/h (18mph) and the pedestrian tests at 40km/h (25mph).
3. Comparison between Size Categories: It is essential that no attempt is made to compare the ratings between cars in different segments or mass groups. The frontal crash test aims to measure the performance of the car impacting another car of similar mass. There is no capability to determine what would happen if cars of widely different masses impact each other. It is not primarily the mass difference that has the effect, but the effect that mass has on the structural stiffness combined with the relative height of the structures from the ground.