ANCAP Introduces New Safety Testing Protocol for 2023-2025

Are cars of the future becoming smarter and safer for everyone on the road?

ANCAP has revolutionized its safety testing procedures, implementing significant changes for the period of 2023-2025. These modifications affect various aspects of vehicle safety, including collision performance, autonomous emergency braking, occupant protection, driver monitoring systems, and more. Let’s dive into the details of these updates.

In the Adult Occupant Protection category, ANCAP has made some noteworthy updates. To achieve a five-star rating, a vehicle must now obtain a minimum score of 80%. The scoring for frontal impact, side impact, and whiplash remains unchanged. However, rescue and extraction performance is now evaluated using a four-point system instead of two. Additionally, manufacturers need to showcase how their vehicles facilitate occupant escape from submerged vehicles. ANCAP will assess the functionality of car doors and electric windows after submergence.

The maximum attainable score for the Adult Occupant Protection category has also increased from 38 to 40 points.

The Child Occupant Protection category remains the same, with a minimum 80% score required for a five-star rating. However, the updated protocol now includes Child Presence Detection. This feature allows vehicles to notify drivers or emergency services if a child has been unintentionally left in a locked car.

The Vulnerable Road User Protection category has undergone significant changes. Previously, vehicles needed to achieve a 60% score for a five-star rating. Now, they must achieve a minimum of 70%. The head impact test score required for top marks has been reduced from 24 to 12, while cyclist head protection has been assigned a value of six points. Upper and lower leg impact protection scores have increased from 12 to 18. The category now also includes a requirement for AEB and Lane Support systems to detect motorcycles.

The addition of motorcycle detection in AEB and Lane Support systems aims to enhance the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, who account for 15% of all road-related fatalities. These changes will assess a vehicle’s ability to brake for approaching motorcycles in different scenarios, including intersection turning and side-swipe-style crashes.

The Safety Assist category has seen the pass mark rise from 60% to 70%. Occupant status and speed assistance systems remain unchanged, while AEB interurban and rear car-to-car scores have also remained the same. However, there have been adjustments in other areas of the category. AEB junction performance now carries a higher score, lane support systems have a slightly reduced score, and AEB head-on performance has been added to the evaluation.

The implementation of improved AEB capabilities emphasizes the need for vehicles to detect and react to oncoming vehicles with a high approach speed. ANCAP’s performance testing of AEB head-on and junction systems will encourage the development of wider field-of-view sensors, enabling autonomous emergency braking to avoid or mitigate crashes.

The advancements in ANCAP’s safety testing protocols aim to provide a better understanding of the injury risks faced by pedestrians, cyclists, and occupants of today’s vehicles. By raising the standards for vehicle safety, ANCAP strives to promote the development and adoption of safer technologies.

For more detailed information on the changes made to ANCAP testing protocols, visit their official website.

• Vehicle structure performance scoring and autonomous emergency braking grading have been altered.
• Child occupant protection, cyclist and motorcyclist protection, driver monitoring systems, restraint system performance, and rescue and extraction performance protocols have also been adjusted.
• The Adult Occupant Protection category now requires a minimum 80% score for a five-star rating, with changes to rescue and extraction performance assessment.
• The maximum attainable score in the Adult Occupant Protection category has increased to 40 points.
• The Child Occupant Protection category remains unchanged, with the inclusion of Child Presence Detection.
• The Vulnerable Road User Protection category now requires a 70% score for a five-star rating.
• Changes have been made to the Vulnerable Road User Protection scoring system, including modifications to head impact, cyclist head protection, and leg impact protection.
• The addition of motorcycle detecting AEB and Lane Support systems has been introduced in the Vulnerable Road User Protection category.
• The Safety Assist category now requires a 70% score for a five-star rating, with changes to AEB junction performance and lane support systems.

ANCAP’s updated safety testing procedures for 2023-2025 bring significant changes to various categories, including Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist. The revisions focus on improving vehicle performance in collision scenarios, enhancing occupant and cyclist safety, and ensuring the detection of motorcycles by AEB and Lane Support systems. These updates reflect ANCAP’s commitment to fostering safer roads and vehicles.