Measures to safeguard pedestrian and cyclist safety dominate latest Euro NCAP five-star ratings

Three crossovers - the NIO EL6, the new Toyota C-HR, and Honda's CR-V - have triumphed in the latest Euro NCAP safety ratings thanks to advanced sensing technology that not only protects passengers but also vulnerable road users.

The NIO EL6 secured an overall rating of five stars, joining the car maker’s NIO’s ES8, ET7, ET5, and EL7 models which have each achieved Euro NCAP’s coveted 5-star rating. 

The premium addition to NIO’s electric car stable, with its battery-swapping technology, uses a camera, radar, and lidar to sense those around it, to avoid or mitigate accidents. 

“This is cutting-edge, yet pricey, technology that is now employed in only a few vehicles,” said Euro NCAP which said a safer vehicle is not only one that considers the protection of those in the car but also those outside of it. 

“Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists are of increasing focus for carmakers in the quest to decrease the number of fatal and harmful accidents on Europe’s roads,” it noted. 

It found that the EL6's automated emergency braking (AEB) system performed in collision ssenarios with passenger vehicles and was good at protecting against vulnerable road users – although not in oncoming and overtaking motorcyclist scenarios.

The second-generation Toyota C-HR was also awarded a five-star rating. the same rating it received in 2017 when the original car was tested albeit at a higher price point. 

“The Toyota C-HR's autonomous emergency braking system performed particularly well, earning top marks in almost every test,” Euro NCAP noted.

“The standard-fit driver monitoring system is indirect, relying on steering inputs and lane position to detect indicators of drowsy driving. A more sophisticated direct eye monitoring device is available as an option but was not fitted to Euro NCAP's test vehicle.”

The Honda CR-V 2.0 Hybrid, secured a solid 4-star rating with base equipment and 5 stars when equipped with the optional Honda Sensing 360 package. 

The base model has a camera and a single radar: the safety pack includes corner radars to improve Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) performance in general, as well as in specific turning scenarios. 

The optional safety pack significantly enhanced AEB performance, particularly in terms of preventing collisions with pedestrians and vehicles.

“It comes as no surprise that these three sophisticated cars are hitting the mark, albeit with an optional safety pack in the case of the CR-V.It is rewarding to see advanced sensing solutions such as lidar being deployed to provide ever-better crash avoidance however greater focus still needs to go on the safety of other road users,” said Dr Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general, Euro NCAP.

“Unfortunately, crashes cannot always be avoided, and high crashworthiness remains a critical backbone. Our post-crash inspection, which has been an essential part of our crash protection assessment since 1997, discovered weaknesses in all three vehicles, including poor airbag deployment and occupant submarining. Manufacturers should be careful not to overlook the fundamentals in their pursuit of sophisticated solutions.”