NCAP Crash Tests Will Only Give 5-Star Scores To Vehicles With Autobrake Systems
Published: June 13th, 2012
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Starting in 2014, cars will require an autobrake system, such as Volvo’s CitySafety technology, to achieve a five-star rating on the NCAP crash test.
Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen told AutoExpress that he expected all new cars sold in Europe to have such a system by 2017. Van Ratingen is hoping to halve the number of deaths resulting from auto accidents by 2020. Lane departure warning systems are also expected to be evaluated in the coming years – with the hopes that the new generation of safety systems will follow in the footsteps of stability control systems and become standard across the board. Hooray.
More by Derek Kreindler
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Kind of a misleading title since NCAP usually refers to US NCAP and "Euro NCAP" is referred to exactly like that. Similar to CNCAP for china
I appreciate ABS and stability systems since they help me do what I already want to do which is to brake and corner harder without losing control of my car. Autobrake doesn't do that. The last thing I need is for my car to decide to brake in the middle of a maneuver which requires acceleration to complete safely.
It's BRAKES, not "breaks"; meaning those things that slow/stop the car. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, another bit of auto tech becoming so cheap that unaccountable "safety expert" bureaucrats can keep busy mandating it. Well, so long as this gadget doesn't interfere with my operting my personal motor vehicle, OK.
I hope eventually these systems evolve to the point where they automatically brake not just at higher speeds (on the V40, City Safety is now active up to 31 MPH, whereas previously City Safety on the current/older XC60/S60 was only active up to 19 MPH, so it looks like things are headed that direction), but also if an oncoming car comes into your lane. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the current AEB systems only brake if someone stops in front of you traveling the same direction you are. Which is a fantastic first step and has already been proven to reduce rear-end accidents and their severity by quite a bit, but imagine how many lives could be saved if these systems could slow you down just 5-10 MPH prior to an impact with an oncoming vehicle.