Crash And Learn: Chinese Homegrowns Get Safer
China is sick and tired of the bad crash test rap their cars receive abroad. Many of them, a few years ago, were really bad. To remedy this, China established their own Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) in Tianjin, which smashes new cars for a living. The standard they use is the Chinese New Car Assessment Program, or C-NCAP. According to China Daily, C-NCAP “is similar to Euro-NCAP.”
Gasgoo reports now that “China’s domestically made cars are making progress in terms of safety.” Homegrown Chery A3 (shown in the video) and SAIC’s sortof homegrown Roewe 550 received five stars at CATARC. Six stars would be best, and so far, only one, the Hongqi, received top honors earlier this year.
Amongst the joint ventures, the China-made Mercedes-Benz C200, and FAW-VW’s New Bora also received five stars.
The Chinese are quick studies: In the two years the center has been in operations, the proportion of five-star cars rose from a horrendously low 8.3 percent in 2006 to 36 percent in 2007 and to 46 percent in 2008. Still, in 2008, more than 30 percent of all tested models limped out of the testing lab with only two or three-stars.
Now, “similar to Euro-NCAP” isn’t “same as.” The devil is in the details, especially in crash testing. We’ll see how they fare with a Euro-NCAP, which will be much tougher in 2009.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
More by Bertel Schmitt
Comments
Join the conversation
I must echo the above skepticism of any stat coming out of China. There is no such thing as an independent lab, or anything else in China. As soon as the bosses want a report changed, it will happen. Maybe in another ten years, after they have been playing nice, I might believe them. Until then, I would wait for confirmation if safety were an important decision maker for me.
China couldn't sell me any car that they could possibly make. I don't trust the quality at all. Its funny - I'ved lived in China 3 years total and I can name a bunch of Chinese companies but in America, there isn't a single Chinese major brand name - unlike Japan which has SONY, Mitsubishi, etc,etc. Chinese citizens hate Chinese made things. They perfer to buy American, rather than Japanese cause they HATE the Japanese. Truth of the matter is, if china does what it does best and STEAL IDEAS from America, Japan and Korea, I think their quality will catch up pretty quickly. After all, even Hyundai was able to make a generation of sophisticated, competant cars...ending with the Genesis recently.
It's not all their fault that they build to a low price point - it's the nature of their domestic market. They build cars their market can support.
@flashpoint: Chinese citizens hate Chinese made things. They perfer to buy American, rather than Japanese cause they HATE the Japanese. You haven't paid enough attention in the three years you've been in China. 1.) Yes, they love imports (of any kind) if they can afford them. Because most can't, they buy local. (Your Chinese girlfriend most likely told you she wants a real Gucci bag, the fake ones are for Western tourists.) 2.) As far as cars go, they actually prefer German. Locally made and imported German brands lead the market. As of September, VW alone had 17.61 percent of the passenger vehicle market, with Toyota (9.62 percent) second, and Honda (9.07 percent) third. 3.) The Chinese may have a historical dislike of Japan, but they know to separate jingoist feelings from their buying choices. If the numbers cited in #2 aren't enough: 2008's best selling sedan in China is the Corolla, leading the ubiquitous Jetta by a few thousand. My wife is Japanese, and she is treated everywhere in China with respect and courtesy. Lastly, you would be absolutely horrified if you would find out the number and kinds of parts in your American car that were actually made in China.