Drivers Technology.

 

Euro NCAP award Tuesday, 8th May, 2007

Euro NCAP: For Safer Cars

In our quest to provide the most up-to-date information about the safety of
newly available cars, Euro NCAP is delighted today to unveil a new visual
identity and crucially to introduce a new website. This website will
represent an essential source of safety information, for both consumers and
experts, with viewable crash footage, photos and safety results from all
Euro NCAP crash tests displayed for a whole range of vehicles.

Over ten years ago, Euro NCAP presented its first ever results from vehicle
crash testing. Since then, Euro NCAP's distinctive black and yellow logo has
decorated manufacturers marketing campaigns in television, magazines and
newspapers, as a symbol of car safety. Euro NCAP will continue this strong
association of trust by maintaining the key elements and colours of its
former logo, with modern adaptations for its increased use.

Today, Euro NCAP is also introducing new logos for all its ratings. This
will ensure that consumers are quickly able to verify the scores of any
vehicle in the three protection ratings: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant and
Pedestrian. Back in February 1997, manufacturers claimed that the assessment
criteria were so severe that no car could achieve four stars for adult
occupant protection. Yet so far in 2007, only one car out of eight has
achieved fewer than four stars in this rating. Euro NCAP's assessment
criteria has not lessened in its severity, manufacturers are just taking
safety more seriously.

Euro NCAP's Secretary General Adrian Hobbs said, "I am happy that
manufacturers are now achieving four or more stars in our adult occupant
rating, but am continually disappointed that they are still not reaching the
highest scores in the pedestrian rating. I am hoping that by introducing
these new logos for our ratings that we will see increased performance in
this crucial area of car safety."

Today, Euro NCAP's new and improved website will also go on-line. This
website will offer greater possibility in comparing the results of crash
tests of vehicles in the various categories. Website users will be able to
view video clips of the crash tests of vehicles they are researching to
understand their performance. Euro NCAP will also offer advice on various
subjects concerned with car safety.

Euro NCAP Secretary General, Adrian Hobbs said "I believe that the
introduction of Euro NCAP's new website will revolutionise the way that we
display the results of our crash tests. I also hope it will really assist
consumers in choosing and buying a safer vehicle."

Euro NCAP's new visual identity and website is launched today at the
Bridgestone Testing Ground near Rome. Euro NCAP is also releasing the
results of our Europe-wide ESC fitment survey, which is presented as part of
the Choose ESC! Campaign.

Euro NCAP's commitment to consumers ensures that test results are released
as soon as possible. Keep checking our website for details of forthcoming
results.

For further information on our new guidelines please contact: Cordelia
Wilson, Communications Manager +32 2 4007746 or
cordelia_wilson@euroncap.com.

Editors' notes

1. With the introduction some time ago of the Child Occupant Protection
rating it is important to refer to the Adult Occupant Protection rating
correctly. In the past, this has been referred to as the ¨Overall¨ or
¨Occupant¨ rating. Neither of these is now satisfactory.

2. The front impact test is conducted at 64km/h (40mph) into an offset
deformable barrier, the side impact test 50km/h (30mph), the pole test at
29km/h (18mph) and the pedestrian tests at 40km/h (25mph).

3. Comparison between Size Categories: It is essential that no attempt is
made to compare the ratings between cars in different segments or mass
groups. The frontal crash test aims to measure the performance of the car
impacting another car of similar mass. There is no capability to determine
what would happen if cars of widely different masses impact each other. It
is not primarily the mass difference that has the effect, but the effect
that mass has on the structural stiffness combined with the relative height
of the structures from the ground.