The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is planning significant updates and upgrades to its New Car Assessment Program for 2020.
Their program tests vehicle performance in various crash scenarios, providing an objective rating on a 5-star scale, thus making it easy for consumers to understand which models are safe and which present certain risks in case of an accident.
“NCAP is celebrating its 40-year anniversary, and we’re proud that it continues to encourage automakers to invest in safety,” stated NHTSA acting administrator James Owens. “NHTSA’s Government 5-Star Safety Ratings Program has been replicated around the world, and for good reason: thanks in large measure to NCAP, new vehicles today are safer than ever.”
These upcoming proposed upgrades for 2020 will include new technologies, new test procedures, updates to vehicle labeling, advancements in crash-test dummies, and continued consumer research. The administration will also look into new technologies tied to pedestrian safety and other vulnerable road users such as cyclists.
“Our program has been a tremendous success and has saved many lives, but far too many American families still lose loved ones every year, and we firmly believe that vehicles can and should be even safer in the future,” added Owens.
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“That is why NHTSA is working on improving the program to make the 5-Star Safety Ratings Program even more dynamic, and to accelerate NCAP modernization to keep pace with advancements in safety technology. American car buyers want safety, and NHTSA wants to help by creating additional market-based incentives for automakers to continue investing in innovative safety technologies that will save lives and prevent injuries.”
