ANCAP Safety Ratings Revisited
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Car companies aiming to attain the five-star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) will have to enhance their vehicles’ safety features and perform well on three crash tests including a second part where it tests the impact of the car to a walking pedestrian.
ANCAP has been crash testing cars since 1993 and continues to give consumers independent research and advice of how safe new models of vehicles are based on their star ratings system. New cars can score up to five stars, with one being the lowest and five being the highest score. ANCAP does not recommend cars with less than a 4-star assessment.
Cars which have a secure structure and top-of-the-line safety features have relatively higher marks in ANCAP’s tests. ANCAP lists these key safety features:
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Structural Integrity or a Car’s Body Material
A car’s structural make-up can absorb or dispel the impact of a collision while keeping the inner components intact and thus less harmful to the car’s occupants.
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Electronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) or Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is a built-in computerized program in a car that detects loss of traction and steering control. Once detected, ESP intervenes to prevent possible collision by applying brakes on each car wheel and cutting engine power to stop the car from veering and thus putting it back on a straight track.
In June 2009, the Australian government declared that ESC/ESP be made mandatory beginning November 1st, 2011 for all new passenger cars marketed in Australia, and will be compulsory for all new types of vehicles starting November 2013.
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Anti-lock Braking Systems
Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) is a technology that prevents the locking of a car’s wheels while the brake pedal is pushed. This allows the driver to regain more steering control, prevent sliding and traction loss.
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Airbags
Airbags are deployed at the onset of a car crash and have been proven to greatly reduce passenger death and grave injury. For the greatest safety, car buyers should look for vehicles with frontal, side, curtain and knee airbags.
ESC is classified as ‘active safety’ because it actively intervenes to prevent a crash while airbags and seatbelts are considered as ‘passive safety.’
In order for a vehicle to achieve the five-star rating, it must pass these three tests:
1) Frontal Offset Test – simulated car collision at the speed of 64 km/h
2) Side Impact Crash Test – where the crash is simulated perpendicularly at the speed of 50 km/h
3) Pole Test – simulated crash will hit the car’s side while the speed of the car is at 29 km/h
ANCAP also includes a pedestrian safety test in the second part of its crash tests (although this part is not included in the five stars) where they calculate head and leg injuries of a walking pedestrian struck by a car with a speed of 40km/h.
According to chief engineer of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) and ANCAP leader Michael Case, scores in these individual tests are combined before converted into star ratings.
Test | Minimum | Highest possible points |
Front Offset | 12.5 | 16 |
Side Impact | 12.5 | 16 |
Pole Impact | 1 | 2 |
Seat Belt | 2 | 3 |
The highest possible score is 37 points with both frontal and side crash tests will have a maximum point of 16 each, however the minimum score to be able to reach a 5-star rating is 12.5 each. Pole side impact test is worth two points at max and seatbelt reminders are worth 3 points (two in front and one at the back). The minimum score for a 5-star rating is 32.5 points.
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p align=”justify”>This article brought to you by Safety Risk in conjunction with Carsguide – Australia’s leading motoring authority. To keep up to date with the latest motoring news, car buyer guides and car reviews online visit Carsguide.com.au.
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