Euro NCAP outlines 2025 roadmap on car safety

Euro NCAP has announced plans setting out how the consumer safety testing programme will evolve and respond to new vehicle safety technologies in the near future.

The organisation says it will challenge vehicle manufacturers to offer the best possible technology as standard in all segments and countries, protecting not only car occupants of all ages but also increasingly addressing the safety of other more vulnerable road users.

The roadmap outlines a timeline for the introduction of key testing enhancements, including:

Primary safety

Driver Monitoring (2020), Automatic Emergency Steering (2020, 2022), Autonomous Emergency Braking (2020, 2022), Vehicle to Vehicle Data Exchange and Vehicle to Infrastructure (2024)

Secondary safety

Whiplash/Rear-end Crash Protection (2020), Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety (2022)

Tertiary safety

Rescue, Extrication and Safety (2020), Child Presence Detection (2022)

Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP, said,

“The potential safety benefits of automated driving are huge.  If we can eliminate human error, we should see road casualty numbers tumbling and many lives being saved.  But there is a lot of misunderstanding, over-expectation and perhaps some suspicion, of a world in which cars can drive themselves.  Our role will be to provide clear information to consumers about the degree of automation in a car and how safely that automation has been implemented.  Quite a challenge, but essential if Euro NCAP is to continue pressing for improvements from those who make cars and providing meaningful information to those who buy them.”