Euro NCAP has released its latest batch of crash-test results, providing safety ratings for the Volvo XC40 and the new Ford Focus.
Both vehicles achieved a maximum five-star rating. The XC40 was particularly impressive, scoring 97 percent for adult occupant protection to put it amongst the top five cars for this area tested by Euro NCAP in the past three years.
The small Swedish crossover (a D4 AWD Momentum derivative was evaluated) scored 87% for child occupant safety, 71% for vulnerable road user (previously pedestrian, but now including cyclists) protection and 76% for its safety assistance technology.
The Focus (a 1,0 Trend hatchback underwent the test), meanwhile, managed 85% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 72% for vulnerable road user protection and 75% for its safety assistance tech.
“It’s good to see that manufacturers, both in the premium sector and the volume market, are responding to our tough new requirements introduced in 2018 by fitting technologies that will save lives,” said Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP.
“Technologies like AEB [autonomous emergency braking] and ELK [emergency lane keeping] deliver immediate safety benefits, but they are also enabling technologies for the autonomous vehicles of the future.
“Euro NCAP’s roadmap sets a series of demanding tests for each of these ‘milestone’ technologies seeking to ensure that their performance saves lives today as well as tomorrow,” he added.
Interestingly, Euro NCAP has introduced “offset” collisions (in addition to the existing “full overlap” impact scenarios) into its AEB regime for 2018, broadening the scope of testing to encompass more real-world crash situations.
“Full overlap” refers to all of the front of a car impacting with all of the rear-end of another, while offset scenarios test AEB performance where only a portion of a car’s rear-end becomes a collision threat.
Watch the XC40 crash test below and the Focus crash test below that…
