Vehicle safety body Euro NCAP is dramatically changing the way it tests cars, primarily to better evaluate the effectiveness of cars' driver assistance systems and the usability of their cockpits.
NCAP says this is the biggest change it has made to its testing programme since 2009. The new procedure overhauls the way cars are tested and scored – under four new core pillars of safety: safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash safety.
Importantly, the organisation says, several of these changes have been made "in response to consumer feedback", highlighting criticism over the "annoying warnings or intrusive interventions" of some advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The changes will come into effect from 2026.
NCAP is also seeking to better evaluate the real-world utility of such systems, to ensure they function as required outside of the confines of the test track.
From 2026, higher safety ratings will be awarded to cars equipped with "driver monitoring technologies that maintain attention and engagement behind the wheel", with points awarded to "systems that monitor driver performance in real time".
The best scores will be given to cars that continuously track the head and eye movements of their drivers, and use that information to adjust the sensitivity of the ADAS functions - with special commendation to systems that can detect the influence of drugs or alcohol, and safely stop the car if the driver falls unconscious.
NCAP will also evaluate the "placement, clarity and ease of use" of essential controls and its new scoring system will emphasise the importance of physical buttons for commonly used functions in response to consumer feedback that suggests they can reduce distraction.
Various parts of the testing process will also be updated to ensure NCAP's ratings are based on the real-world effectiveness of safety systems, not just their performance on the test track.
Testers will evaluate the accuracy of speed-limit recognition functions – a common pitfall of modern ADAS suites – on the road, for example, "with the aim of improving consumer acceptance".
The focus on real-world efficacy extends to a new testing programme for crash-prevention technologies, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane keep assist. This will "reflect real-world accident patterns" by introducing new urban-focused test scenarios that include cyclists and motorcyclists as part of the simulated traffic.
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I wonder if they will do the poorly painted UK B road test for the lane keeping! My car gets confused and has even tried to align me to the other side on a dark wet night! Thankfully one button turns it off (and then on again as it's pretty helpful on A roads and motorways).
Great, but can they at least use different system to easily differentiate the testing standards. A 5 star car tested 10 years ago would not get 5 stars now, yet to a general consumer, there isn't an easy way to see the distinction. A simple colour change would do it, or perhaps change it to 10 star rating system.
So at the risk of being glib, NCAP who are experts on safety, had to have members of the public point out to them that having to scroll through a screen to find a basic function was distracting and dangerous?
Why car makers didn't identify it was annoying is also a complete mystery. A friend of mine spent years researching what people like in the feel of buttons on a car for a consortium of high end marques. Yet nobody thought to ask(or more likely listen to) customers about whether they wanted physical buttons.
I know some people say it is cost, but i find that pretty unconvicing argument in a high end car, when we are literally talking about 3 or 4 buttons for temperature, radio channel and volume which is probably 70-80% of interactions.
Spot on. I don't understand how it's taken so long.
Agreed it isn't cost. If that was the case then the premium marques could afford to keep buttons as a differentiator. But they don't, and so they now look much the same as the cheaper cars. Also, how can Mercedes have an illuminated grille? Surely that's a bigger cost adder?
I think we can blame Tesla! Their touchscreen approach, sales growth and stock price made all the legacy companies panic and try to copy them. But now after 1 - 2 model cycles since that and Tesla no longer the magic company it was considered there seems to be a move back to physical controls thankfully.
Seems to be authoritrian brawn without brains. ADAS is wrong its DA(Dumb Assed) DAS, der the more you relay on technology the less drivers will practice, develop and be able themselves. Where is the ADAS element then ensures vehicles keep a safe distance appart (2 second rule, in teh dry, more then 2 sec's in wet etc, the element that kick drivers in shins for illegitimate lights usesage, fog, indicatores etc, oh and ditto for lane hoggs, back to driver education and discipline, cant deliver the required standards dont get permissions to continue, or this all too obvious?If any authroity was really interested in road safey all they need to do is revamp the driver licenceing system: 3 Years after passing the Basic test there's and Advanced test to pass, fail this and go back to Learner status, And have decent policing/enforcement of driving standards, lane, lights, and safe distances, and road positioning (e.g. roundabouts), Oh and bung in delinquent parking/obstruction enforcement of existing laws. I guarantee improvements in roads safety from this. Not from distrcting bings/bongs/flashing lights, twitching steering wheels all distracting drivers from what they should be concentrating on - whats going on arround them obstacle and idiot wise.The ncap x'spurts' behind ADAS should be dismissed and prevented from being involved with anything to do with roads or driving.
Just thoughts, NCAP 'spurts take note.