ANCAP builds on test and rating criteria for 2023

THE trajectory towards broad based autonomous driving is gathering pace with new, stricter ANCAP safety requirements driving the process.

The vehicle safety body this week announced their next step-change, broadening test and rating criteria in vehicle safety to take effect from next year. The previous step-change in criteria took effect from January 2020.

As of January 2023 ANCAP will expand these criteria by adding new and updated tests and assessments to its star rating regime.

ANCAP’s expanded 2023 test and assessment criteria will include new areas such as the ability of a vehicle to avoid a crash with a motorcyclist, child presence detection, and vehicle submergence.

Motorcycle Detecting Autonomous Emergency Braking is a further refinement of existing AEB more sensitive to, and capable of recognising and reacting to potential collision scenarios between a motorcycle and a car.

Child Presence Detection is a safety system designed to assist drivers or parents in detecting the presence of children in vehicles, providing an alarm or notification if any child is unknowingly left behind unattended in a vehicle.

Vehicle Submergence Assistance is a system that allows windows and doors to be opened after a vehicle is submerged in floods for example, the sea or rivers. First responders often have difficulty gaining access to vehicles in such situations. 

Several existing assessment areas will made more stringent including:

• A heighted focus on vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility (introducing a potential 8.00 point penalty compared with the current 4.00 point penalty)
• A 10 per cent increase to the star rating thresholds for Vulnerable Road User Protection
• The assessment of direct driver monitoring systems to manage driver inattention and fatigue
• An expansion of autonomous emergency braking test scenarios to include additional night-time tests and child pedestrian avoidance tests when a vehicle is in reverse.

The aim being to incentivise a continued high level of safety offered to car buyers in Australia.

Similar protocols will be implemented by ANCAP’s European counterpart Euro NCAP for cars sold there and in New Zealand.

These changes form part of ANCAP and EuroNCAP’s regular regime enhancements which encourage continual safety improvements every few years. 

“Our 2023 requirements build upon our existing criteria to promote further vehicle safety improvements and address some of the ongoing challenges on our roads,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

“Vehicles, and the safety technologies within them, are continuing to evolve, and our test criteria are too. Physical protection in a crash, and the ability to actively avoid a crash are both essential elements to achieve a high ANCAP safety rating, and this approach will continue from 2023.”

The requirements set for each star rating level are designed to encourage vehicles that provide a good balance of passive safety – how well a vehicle will protect you and your occupants if you have a crash, and active safety – the ability of a vehicle to prevent or minimise the outcomes of a crash through active collision avoidance systems.

“ANCAP safety ratings are designed to ensure new car buyers and the road users they interact with are offered the safest vehicles and newest technologies. We encourage all vehicle purchasers to choose a vehicle with the highest ANCAP safety rating possible and the latest date stamp. It could save your life, or the lives of those closest to you,” said Ms Hoorweg.