Global collaboration crucial for vehicle safety evaluation

In light of the ongoing electrification and intelligent transformation of the automotive industry, experts at the 2025 NCAP World Congress emphasized the need for a more collaborative global auto evaluation system to foster technological innovation and facilitate real-world data sharing.

NCAP, or the New Car Assessment Program, is a globally recognized auto safety evaluation system with 11 regional institutions covering Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. Over the past 50 years, it has guided consumer choices and driven automakers to make safety technologies standard rather than optional.

Iain Cameron, chairman of Global NCAP, said that as technology is "moving faster than ever", the NCAP community and its partners must collaborate closely to ensure that technological progress benefits all road users and strengthen road safety safeguards. This collaboration aims to achieve the United Nations' goal of halving road deaths and serious injuries by the end of this decade.

He made the remarks at the conference in Shanghai last week, which was attended by representatives of NCAP groups.

Emerging issues such as battery safety, autonomous driving ethics, and data security have become increasingly prominent amid the electrification and intelligent transformation of the industry, making it urgent to build a global auto safety community with a broader perspective, said An Tiecheng, chairman of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, which oversees China NCAP.

NCAP serves as a crucial supporting force in this process, while mandatory safety regulations in various countries define the bottom line for auto safety, An said.

Michiel van Ratingen, secretary-general of Euro NCAP, said that despite the rapid development and proven lifesaving benefits of advanced driver assistance systems, the core challenge is ensuring their stable performance in complex real-world scenarios. Cases of excessive reliance on ADAS by drivers have been reported in both Chinese and European markets.

He added that the 2026 rating update will incorporate multivariable assessments such as weather, lighting, and road conditions. This aims to raise the threshold for high scores and urge automakers to optimize system performance in nonideal scenarios.

To streamline efforts among global NCAP groups, joint teams have standardized test parameters, such as the collaboration between China NCAP and Euro NCAP on mobile progressive deformable barrier indicators, which helps reduce redundant investments.

Additionally, mutual recognition models and agreements, such as the China-EU carbon footprint evaluation, enable cross-regional data reuse, lowering compliance costs for automakers.

As a core force in China's auto safety evaluation, China NCAP has been providing forward-looking solutions grounded in local conditions and enriched by a global perspective, said Li Xiangrong, director of the CATARC's Car Assessment and Testing Center.

He noted that China NCAP has facilitated the formulation and revision of over 10 mandatory national vehicle safety standards and has incorporated unique Chinese traffic scenarios into its evaluation items, supported by the China In-Depth Accident Study database.

For instance, considering the high density of pedestrians and electric bicycles on Chinese roads, China NCAP has expanded the pedestrian head simulation test area from 2,100 millimeters to 2,300 mm and introduced the advanced Pedestrian Legform Impactor, which better simulates real collision scenarios.

These solutions have been referenced by international counterparts such as Australian NCAP and Latin NCAP, Li said.

Since its first vehicle crash test in 2006, China NCAP has undergone six major revisions, developing a high-standard safety testing and evaluation system. According to An, the center has completed around 2,000 crash tests on 580 models from 120 automakers to date.

caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn