EXCLUSIVE Is NCAP making our cars too safe?

WHILE we all might occasionally roll our eyes at seemingly over-the-top 'health and safety' measures, there is no doubt that protecting people with proper equipment and technology saves lives.

- Toby Knight

The same thing is true for Euro NCAP. Since 1997 the organisation has been independently rating the crash protection offered by most cars on sale, and its tests have resulted in improved safety standards right across the board.

But as technology has moved on, so have the NCAP tests' requirements. Some car manufacturers are now saying they've gone too far because the technology needed to get the full five stars is growing ever more complex and expensive.

It's not just car makers who are grumbling. Responses from our Driver Power survey show drivers are annoyed by features that constantly bleep, unexpectedly apply the brakes or tug the steering back into a lane.

Yet NCAP is introducing even stricter rules. The latest update demands sensors that will call the police if drivers have left their kids in the car. There's also a requirement that the windows and doors can still be opened if the car becomes submerged in water.

The next stage in safety advances will demand the presence of in-car cameras to monitor the driver's face for tiredness or distraction, while Autonomous Emergency Braking systems (AEB) will be required to detect motorcycles.

By 2026 the tests will have evolved again, with sensors needed to detect fires and assess a driver's vital signs, alerting emergency services if they sense a problem.

This news has already met with some resistance. So, has NCAP finally hit a wall? We asked the organisation's Technical Director, Richard Schram, to explain how the decisions are made.

RICHARD SCHRAM

NCAP Technical Director

Q How does Euro NCAP decide what new criteria should be involved in the tests?