European New Car Assessment Organization (Euro NCAP) plans to launch a new rating scheme before the end of 2023.
Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary-General Euro NCAP made this known while reacting to the organization’s latest Results in the Commercial Van Ratings.
He said the new safety rating will keep drivers safe and create a market for safe and clean technology that will allow manufacturers to innovate and advance their safety offering firmly grounded in Euro NCAP principles.
According to him, over the last year, Euro NCAP has been examining safety and possible solutions within the heavy goods vehicle category.
In his view, as safety technologies and innovative solutions develop at a fast pace, Euro NCAP must develop its criteria to ensure that manufacturers maintain the impetus to innovate and make available the latest safety technologies in all vehicles on European roads.
He stated: “Just because vans are used for commercial purposes, does not mean they should be any less safe than passenger cars. Under Euro NCAP’s plans by 2026, vans will be expected to meet the same ADAS requirements as passenger cars.
“I believe that this must be Euro NCAP’s next milestone to ensure that countries across Europe achieve their ‘Vision Zero’ target and end traffic-related fatalities.”
In a related development, aside introducing a rating scheme for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), Euro NCAP has also identified ADAS technology as an effective way of mitigation against the consequences of road crashes.
Because commercial vans are often not adequately equipped with state-of-the-art technology, Euro NCAP’s new criteria for Commercial Van Ratings takes ADAS to a higher level with greater emphasis on vulnerable road users, including pedestrian safety, with focus on night-time scenarios, and cyclists as well as the introduction of one new van-to-car crash scenario.
In 2021 Euro NCAP launched the Commercial Van Safety Rating to improve safety information for fleet managers and provide a safer experience for van drivers and other road users. Good improvements in system performance and availability were reported when Euro NCAP revisited the van results one year later.
In 2023, Euro NCAP is taking the next step and tightening up the criteria for these ratings.
Recently, the organization released results for eighteen vans, which had been tested under the new conditions.
Included is the Ford Transit, which like the Fiat Ducato achieved a Gold rating. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz Vito dropped from Gold to a Silver rating, where it joined the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Transporter, the Renault Trafic, Nissan Primastar and Volkswagen Crafter.
Those that achieved a Bronze Rating were the Citroën Jumpy (known as the Dispatch in the UK), the Citroën Jumper (Relay), Iveco Daily, Opel/Vauxhall Vivaro, Opel/Vauxhall Movano, Peugeot Expert, Peugeot Boxer, Renault Master and Toyota PROACE.
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