Euro NCAP in the world
Are the ratings of different NCAP programs around the world comparable? Given its 10 years of experience, does Euro NCAP have any advice to give other countries that are in the process of establishing similar organisations?
Are the ratings of different NCAP programs around the world comparable?
New car assessments program similar to Euro NCAP successfully run in the USA, Japan, Australia, Korea and China. While there are many similarities between the programs, the car selection process, the actual tests, the test criteria and the way that ratings are achieved may vary significantly. This makes it usually impossible to compare results. Euro NCAP is generally considered to be amongst the most stringent and most representative rating programs.
This fact, on top of the marked difference in safety equipment of cars sold outside Europe, makes that Euro NCAP does not allow manufactures to insinuate a Euro NCAP star rating on the basis of other NCAP results.
Given its 10 years of experience, does Euro NCAP have any advice to give other countries that are in the process of establishing similar organisations?
To be effective, the test and assessment protocols need to be scientifically sound and they should be recognised as such by the car manufacturers. The body needs to be independent from commercial interests and ideally independent of government control. This is achieved in Euro NCAP by having members from different governments and other bodies.