Plug-In Vehicles and Advanced Safety Technologies
by Michael Ottis LincsMag Photographer & Writer.
Date: 01 September 2010
In August, Euro NCAP, the organisation dedicated to revealing the safety of new cars, released the crash test results for four vehicles: the Honda CR-Z, the Suzuki Swift, the Citroen C4 and the Hyundai ix35.
In this latest set of results, Euro NCAP is glad to announce that all of the cars received a maximum five star rating.
The results show that manufacturers are rising to the challenges of Euro NCAP’s new rating scheme and are continuing to make safety a priority. The Honda CR-Z demonstrates that good all round safety needs not be compromised by a fuel efficient petrol-electric hybrid powertrain: its pedestrian protection result continues the high scores achieved by recently tested Hondas.
Several manufacturers are expected to release fully electric vehicles in the near future. Euro NCAP is poised to test them to ensure that high safety standards are maintained, with the first results expected early in 2011.
A Comprehensive Guidance
From October onwards, Euro NCAP will be able to offer even more comprehensive guidance to consumers about the safety offered by new cars. Euro NCAP Advanced will assess those technologies which are beyond the scope of the current crash tests.
At least one of the cars presented today has a driver assistance technology which could be assessed by Euro NCAP Advanced. The organisation will release the findings of its first assessments at the Paris Motor Show on 1st October.
Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen, said, “I am looking forward to the launch of Euro NCAP Advanced. The new assessments will broaden the scope of our safety assessments and will greatly enhance the information we are able to provide to consumers. It is reassuring that, as well as developing these new advanced technologies, manufacturers are not neglecting fundamental crash protection and today’s results show that car-makers are still striving for the very best levels of protection.”
Electronic Stability Control
Three of the cars tested for this release have electronic stability control completely as standard. The Citroën C4 is offered with ESC as an option on the lowest specification in some countries but qualifies for five stars as sales of ESC as standard equipment are expected to far outstrip those of the optionally equipped car.
Euro NCAP’s requirements on ESC have encouraged much broader fitment of this important technology by car manufacturers, ahead of the European legislation which will begin in 2012 for new car models and 2014 for all cars.
Three of the cars demonstrated good protection against whiplash injuries in a rear-end collision, the Citroën C4 being the only one rated as marginal in this regard. However, the C4 was the only car to be rewarded for an active, driver-set speed limitation device which assists drivers in maintaining a safe driving speed.
Euro NCAP believes that car manufacturers who are committed to safety need to be justly awarded with a good overall rating and is encouraging all car manufacturers to reach such good results in the future.
Results
Results released in August are in the categories Small Family, Supermini and Small Offroad 4x4.
