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.
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.