Euro NCAP

2025 Roadmap
IN PURSUIT OF VISION ZERO

EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

1
Executive Summary

The focus of the roadmap is on the use of advanced technology to deliver improved
passenger car safety but also on how it might assist other road users. The continued
use of the overall rating scheme is envisaged, with its separation of assessment
into one of four areas, but a move is proposed to a more scenario-based scheme
in the future and to greater use of simulation to provide a broader and more robust
assessment. An assessment of automated driving is proposed, outside of the
main star rating scheme. For primary safety, driver monitoring (start date 2020)
is proposed, to mitigate the very significant problems of driver distraction and
impairment through alcohol, fatigue, etc. A reward is foreseen which is related both
to the problems detected by the system and to the action taken — warning in the
first instance, but also speed limitation etc. Autonomous Emergency Steering (AES,
2020) is a technology in its infancy and changes to legislation, expected in 2022, are
needed to allow full exploitation of its potential but driver-initiated, in-lane steering
support could be rewarded early in the roadmap period. Further developments in
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB, 2020), to address cross-junction, head-on
and reversing accidents are proposed. Finally, V2X communication (2024) offers
great potential but agreement is first needed on the technology employed.

In the field of secondary safety, a review of whiplash testing will

rationalise and simplify the testing effort. For pedestrian protection,
an upper-body-mass leg impactor will yield more realistic test results
while headform testing will be extended to include cyclists.

For the first time, tertiary safety is addressed. From 2022, a reward is given
to Child Presence Detection, which can detect a child left alone in a car and
alert the owner and/or the emergency services, to avoid heatstroke fatalities.
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

A relatively low-technology approach is proposed for assisting rescue teams

to extricate occupants from a crashed vehicle. Euro NCAP will collaborate
with CTIF to ensure the availability of standardised rescue sheets.

2
Executive Summary

Automated driving can offer great safety potential by helping to eliminate driver
errors. Euro NCAP will promote the rapid, safe deployment of this technology
into the vehicle fleet by means of a categorisation of the type and degree of
assistance/automation offered, outside of the main star rating scheme. At the
same time, Euro NCAP will provide information to consumers to allay fears but also
to maintain realistic expectations of the degree of automation offered and of the
need for vigilance in cars where the level of automation is low or is not universal.

Finally, in the areas of truck city safety, powered two-wheelers and

cyber-security, the roadmap outlines projects with which Euro NCAP
may be associated whilst not necessarily taking the lead role.

EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

3
Executive Summary 3
Preface 5
1/ Introduction 6
2/ The Overall Safety Rating 7
PRIMARY SAFETY 7
Driver Monitoring (2020) 7
Automatic Emergency Steering (2020, 2022) 8
Autonomous Emergency Braking (2020, 2022) 8
V2x (2024) 10

SECONDARY SAFETY 11
Whiplash/Rear-end Crash Protection (2020) 11
Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety (2022) 11

TERTIARY SAFETY 11
Rescue, Extrication and Safety (2020) 11
Child Presence Detection (2022) 11

C A R R Y- O V E R I T E M S 12
FUTURE EVOLUTION 12

3/ Automated Driving 13
THE ROLE OF EURO NCAP 13
A U T O M AT E D F U N C T I O N A L I T I E S 13
TESTING AND ASSESSMENT 13
G R A D AT I O N 1 4

4/ Other Initiatives 15
TRUCK LABEL 15
POWERED TWO WHEELERS 15
CYBER SECURITY 16

Timeline 17
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

References 18

4
Preface

Before you lies Euro NCAP’s roadmap for the period between 2020 and
2025. The document provides guidance on the future developments and
activities of the European consumer safety program and may serve as
a reference for the automotive industry and other stakeholders.

Forward planning for this transient period, where available technology and
the boundary conditions are evolving rapidly, was difficult. Over the last
months, Euro NCAP has reached out to key external stakeholders in the
industry to discuss our first thoughts about the future safety rating and
its role in promoting automation. Debating these issues face to face has
helped us to identify the opportunities for vehicle safety improvement and
better understand the challenges that the automotive industry is facing.

Euro NCAP wishes to express its sincere gratitude to all who

participated in the consultation meetings and who have
provided the very valuable feedback and suggestions.

Leuven, 12 September 2017 EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

5
1/ Introduction

It has been said that the auto industry will change more years. Still, the number of cars in the fleet equipped with
in the next five to 10 years than it has in the last 50 and state-of-the-art ADAS remains relatively low and will not
this may very well be true for vehicle safety technology. yet have significantly changed common crash types or
Automated driving technologies, now rapidly developing, the frequency of vehicle crashes. This is particularly true
will transform the driving experience and the auto industry for ADAS systems designed to address vulnerable road
as a whole. At the same time, Europe’s inevitable shift user crashes, which are only just emerging on the market.
towards an era of electric vehicle propulsion is expected On the other hand, the widespread availability of bet-
to accelerate, with 30 percent of sales electric by 2025 ter-established or mandatory technologies, such as side
(UBS, 2017). curtain airbags, SBR and ESC, have had a clear impact
on the frequency of some fatal or injurious crashes such
As an advocate for safer cars, Euro NCAP aims to highlight as single vehicle roll-overs. In developing a longer-term
automated driving technologies and raise awareness of agenda for vehicle safety, it is important to account for
their benefits. But Euro NCAP will also keep challenging the changes in real-world priorities and the anticipated
vehicle manufacturers on what they are actually selling to impact of emerging safety technologies.
consumers on the European market. This means offering
the best possible technology as standard in all segments Equally important is to understand how the consumer
and countries, protecting car occupants of all ages, sizes mindset is changing and what it means for the car market.
and shapes and to also look out for the safety of other Last year, the average car age in Europe rose again, to
road users in traffic. over 10 years, some two years more than it was a decade
ago (ACEA, 2017). This adds pressure on organisations
With 256 million cars in use, Europe has the world larg- like Euro NCAP that advocate widespread and timely
est passenger car fleet. In 2016, over 14 million new cars adoption of important safety technology across the
were registered (ACEA, 2017). Traditionally, the smaller region. The average car buyer is getting older as well, as
A- and B-segments dominate the passenger car sales lifespans extend and young people become less able
in numbers, while the mid-sized Sport Utility Vehicle or willing to own a new car. Carmakers are expanding
segment is one of the fastest growing. Over 95 percent mobility services such as car sharing, in order connect
of new model sales in these segments are covered by a young consumers to their brand.
rating, so it is probably fair to say that Euro NCAP has
a strong influence on the fitment and performance of To stay influential and relevant in this widening landscape,
vehicle safety systems in the market. vehicle safety information will not only have to appeal
(and be helpful) to the traditional car buying public, but
Despite having one the highest motorisation rates, roads also to other user groups or business models. The overall
in Europe remain the safest in the world: in 2016, the safety rating, a simple yet powerful tool in communicating
EU-28 counted 50 road fatalities per one million inhab- about vehicle safety, will remain one of Euro NCAP’s most
itants, against 174 deaths per million globally (European important output channels; however, to reach consumers
Commission, 2017). Car occupants account for almost in their “content cocoons” and to connect with a broad
half of road accident victims. However, all combined, range of potential other users, Euro NCAP will also need
pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists make up almost to develop attractive stories around safety-related topics.
the same share. Looking beyond the fatality number, it
is estimated that 135,000 people are seriously injured on In the upcoming years, significant changes to the reg-
European roads each year (European Commission, 2017). ulatory landscape and to the content of vehicle safety
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

Indeed, most of those seriously injured are vulnerable type approval are anticipated. The European Commission
road users and many are elderly, an age group that is has announced a revision of General Safety Regulation
growing in importance. 661/2009, potentially including several new measures
that are part of consumer testing today (European Com-
The more widespread availability and affordability of mission, 2016). Euro NCAP must ensure that its safety
the technology that enables Advanced Driver Assist ratings will complement those developments and reward
Systems, such as AEB and LDW, has resulted in a signif- higher performance in a faster timescale than regulation
icant increase in the uptake of such technology in recent requires.

6
2/ The Overall Safety Rating

Euro NCAP has already introduced some important scheme. More details can be found in the Roadmap 2025
updates to the crash test program in recent years and graphical timeline (see p.17).
revisions to the front and side impact tests are planned
for 2020 (Euro NCAP, 2015). This shows that secondary As a final introductory remark, it should be noted that
safety is and will remain at the heart of Euro NCAP’s Euro NCAP will continue to closely monitor the frequency
consumer ratings for some time. But Euro NCAP has and nature of real-world crashes and advancements in
clearly recognised that primary safety has an increasingly technology during the roadmap implementation years.
important role to play. As the rate of development in this Where appropriate, it will pursue available possibilities
area accelerates, the safety rating is expected to include to test and rate important new features beyond those
more and more ADAS and crash avoidance technologies, that already have been identified here. This would allow
introduced by vehicle manufacturers. In the upcoming us to rapidly give credit for important safety innovations.
period, Euro NCAP will also pay more attention to tertiary
safety in the rating using the Haddon matrix (Haddon,
1972) as guidance. Hence, the strategy going forwards
PRIMARY SAFETY
will emphasise primary, secondary and tertiary vehicle
safety as important enablers on the road to vision zero. Driver Monitoring (2020)
More than ninety percent of road accidents are caused
It is the intention that the Overall Rating System and by “human mistakes”. In general, two kinds of mistakes
methodology (van Ratingen, 2008) will remain in place, can be observed: violations, of which speeding and
at least for the time being. It is clear, however, that there driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs are most
is an increasing amount of overlap between safety common; and human “errors”, in which the driver state
technologies offered on the market and that there is - inattentiveness, fatigue, distraction - and inexperience
more than one way in which a particular crash scenario play an important role. In an aging society, sudden medical
could be dealt with in terms of injury mitigation and/or incapacitation is also a growing cause of road crashes.
avoidance. Euro NCAP recognises the need to address
more effectively the way in which primary, secondary Already, driver advisory systems such as Speed Assistance
(and tertiary) safety elements are integrated. Systems (SAS) and Attention Assist target the human ele-
ment in crashes by alerting the driver in critical situations
During the coming years, a transition is foreseen from and, ultimately, by supporting the driver to improve his
a “technology based” approach (e.g. tests for AEB) to behaviour. In addition, adapting intervention criteria to
a more “scenario based” assessment that would allow individual drivers and the driver’s state may provide a
various types of interventions (e.g. braking and steering). significant potential for earlier interventions in the future
At the same time, passive safety test methodology will without compromising false-positive levels.
be updated to allow for pre-crash activation of restraints.
This review of the overall rating methodology will also Euro NCAP envisages an incentive for driver monitoring
address opportunities to exploit virtual testing to add systems1 that effectively detect impaired and distracted
more robustness to the assessment. This transition driving and give appropriate warning and take effective
process will phase in from 2022 and is expected to be action e.g. initiating a safe evasive manoeuvre, limp home
completed by the end of the roadmap term in 2025. mode, increased increasing sensitivity of Electronic Sta-
Ensuring stability of the rating during this transition will bility Control, lane support, speed, etc. Implementation
be essential. in the overall rating is planned in phases, starting with
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

systems that have already entered the market. The as-

Based on the evolution of safety technology in the sessment will evolve around how reliably and accurately
fleet, Euro NCAP plans to introduce several new test the status of the driver is detected and what action the
items under the overall safety rating. These items may vehicle takes based on the information. Other aspects,
be added or partly replace existing tests. The timescale such as driver position monitoring, could be added in
refers to the expected first introduction date in the rating future iterations of the protocol.

1
Effective driver monitoring will also be a prerequisite for automated driving, to make sure that, where needed, control can be handed back to a driver who is
fit and able to drive the vehicle. This item will be taken on board under the HMI requirements for Automated Driving. 7
Automatic Emergency Steering (2020, 2022) Autonomous Emergency Braking (2020, 2022)
Current AEB systems show potential to avoid or mitigate The primary goal of AEB technology is to prevent crashes
many crashes but Automatic Emergency Steering, or by detecting a potential conflict and alerting the driver,
AES, although technically more demanding, may deliver and, in many systems, aiding in brake application or
a further significant reduction in crashes and casualties, automatically applying the brakes. The technology was
in particular for single vehicle and small overlap crashes successfully introduced in the safety rating in 2014, and
and accidents involving vulnerable road users. was tested first in rear-end car-to-car collisions (Schram,
Williams, & van Ratingen, 2013) and subsequently in
• About 20 percent of Killed and Seriously Injured pedestrian crossing accidents (Schram, Williams, & van
(KSI) originate from loss of control or lane or road Ratingen, 2015). The performance of an AEB system is
departure (STATS 19, 2015)2. dependent on the type and complexity of the sensors
• Frontal collisions with a small overlap account for used. More and more manufacturers are adding additional
around 15 percent of all car accidents and 25 per- sensors and combining multiple sensor types together in
cent of all car accidents involving a frontal collision “fusion” to offer the potential to address new and more
(German Insurance Association, 2013). This amounts complex crash scenarios.
to approximately 10 percent of KSI in small overlap
crashes. Euro NCAP expects AEB technology to continue to evolve
• Vulnerable road user KSI account for 36 percent in the years ahead and has identified three priority areas
(STATS 19, 2015). where the rating scheme will be updated to reflect the
progress in industry:
The hardware needed for automated steering (e.g. au-
tomated parking, steer by wire) is available and on sale, • Back-over or reversing crashes usually happen at low
as is the vehicle support for driver initiated emergency speeds at driveways and parking lots. Recent accident
steering. However, very few automatic steering interven- research by the German insurers suggests that up
tion systems are currently offered. Despite challenges in to 17 percent of collisions between pedestrians and
market introduction and cost effective manufacturing, vehicles with personal injury occur at the rear side of
AES technology is expected to land into the market in the car. The majority of accident victims (63 percent)
the coming years. Regulation 79 is expected to permit were elderly, while children under 12 years of age
Emergency Steering Functions (ESF) by sometime around accounted for 6 percent (German Insurers Accident
the year 2020 (ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRRF/82, 2016) Research, 2017). It is estimated that, Europe-wide, the
and this will facilitate the development and fitment of number of seriously injured pedestrians in revering
AES. Euro NCAP sees possibilities to stimulate the up- crashes could amount to 1,400 per year. A driver
take of AES technologies and verify their performance by assistance system which detects the presence of
including them in the rating scheme, based on dangerous persons behind the car and automatically initiates
situations with a range of road users and interactions. braking or prevent acceleration could have significant
potential to prevent accidents involving cars and
As a first step, Euro NCAP plans to include driver-in- pedestrians (German Insurers Accident Research,
itiated, within-lane steering support technology in the 2010). Taking the work done by the insurance industry
overall rating in 2020. Information on the acceptance, as a starting point (RCAR, 2017), Euro NCAP plans to
robustness and performance of such systems will be adopt the reversing pedestrian scenario to the AEB
gathered before taking the next step towards testing Vulnerable Road User - Pedestrian test suite in 2020.
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

systems that may carry out more radical “avoidance by

steering and braking” interventions. The timeframe for • Crossing and turning manoeuvres that occur at
this second step will also be determined by what will be junctions create opportunities for vehicle-vehicle,
legally allowed in the future, but implementation is not vehicle-pedestrian, and vehicle-(motor)cycle conflicts,
expected before 2022. which often result in traffic crashes. Typically, crossing

2
STATS 19 does not codify lane departure accidents so lane departure accident were constructed by considering the following variables: Number of casualties
where at least one vehicle involved was a car that performing changing lane, overtaking, going ahead in bend manoeuvres, and vehicle left the carriageway. 8
© 2017 Thatcham Research

EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

© 2017 Thatcham Research

9
 accidents are the result of running a red light, lack of low latency, secure, beyond line of sight communication
visibility, driver inattentiveness or speeding. Turning and localised data transfer.
crashes are often caused by misjudging or failing to
observe oncoming traffic when turning left or right. In In general, there are two different communications ap-
crossing scenarios, where the speed of the ego vehicle proaches being discussed to address this need: 802.11p,
is relatively low, and in turning scenarios, an AEB a standard available today and favoured by the US, and
intervention could effectively prevent a crash. Testing the new cellular-V2X (5G). Leading car makers, chip
could include car, pedestrian, cyclist and Powered- makers and cellular operators have established the 5G
two-wheeler (PTW) targets and commence in 2020. Automotive Association (5G Automotive Association,
2016) to develop, test, and promote 5G systems for
• Head-on scenarios. A combined assessment of automated vehicles. The European Union expects 5G
steering and braking interventions within the lane to services to be rolled out by 2020, though in reality it may
prevent narrow overlap head-on crashes with other take several more years to fully deploy the infrastructure
road users (cars, PTW, pedestrians) is foreseen from required (European Parliament, 2017).
2022 (see also EAS).
As long as there is uncertainty about the V2X standard
V2x (2024) and the timing, carmakers do not seem to prioritise V2X
V2x communication, which involves vehicles exchang- safety functions for the European market. It is expected,
ing data with each other and the infrastructure, has the however, that by 2024 much of the technological uncer-
potential to improve traffic safety and increase the effi- tainty will have been resolved, leaving only the demand
ciency of transport. Examples of safety-related functions uncertainty. Euro NCAP recognises the safety potential
include the ability to transmit and receive messages of V2V and V2X technologies, for car occupants, vulner-
like “Emergency electronic brake lights”, “Motorcycle is able road users and powered two wheelers. To support
approaching” or “Roadwork ahead”. In order to provide the availability of technology on the vehicle side, new
a benefit over and beyond regular onboard sensors, incentives will be introduced in the rating scheme for
V2x must identify a potential risk earlier than any of the V2X technology that support and enhance important
surrounding sensors can “see” the danger. This means safety functions.

EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

© 2017 CERAM-UTAC

10
SECONDARY SAFETY TERTIARY SAFETY
Whiplash/Rear-end Crash Protection (2020) Rescue, Extrication and Safety (2020)
It is nearly ten years since Euro NCAP first introduced an Rescue services require detailed but readily-understood
assessment of the protection provided against whiplash information regarding the construction of individual
injuries in a rear-end collision (Avery, 2008). A review has vehicles to extricate trapped occupants as quickly and
been carried out of the correlation between those ratings safely as possible. This is becoming more pressing
and real-world performance which suggests that the as vehicles become stronger (e.g. use of high strength
numbers of criteria and pulses could be reduced without steels or composite materials), use different sources of
significantly reducing the real-world effectiveness. Held power (e.g. electric/hybrid, hydrogen) and are equipped
back by the limited of progress of the Informal Group on with increasing numbers of safety devices (e.g. airbags,
UN Global Technical Regulation 7 (Phase II), the planned pre-tensioners). Car makers in recent years have invested
re-evaluation of the tests for 2018 is postponed to 2020. in “Rescue sheets” but their availability and dissemination
This review will also determine whether there is any justifi- across Europe is not always guaranteed. Euro NCAP,
cation for a higher energy test to be included in Euro NCAP. in collaboration with the International Service of Fire &
Rescue Services (CTIF), will support the timely availability
Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety (2022) of ISO 17840 compliant rescue sheets (ISO 17840-1:2015,
Current pedestrian impact tests make use of the child and 2015), consider the best options to centralise and main-
adult headform impactors, the upper legform impactor tain a database and have information available on the
and the pedestrian legform impactor, FlexPLI. With vehicle (for instance, a standardised ID tag with a link
the FlexPLI, injuries to the pedestrian’s knee ligaments to the database).
(ACL/PCL and MCL) as well as injuries to the tibia can
be assessed. However, without an upper body mass Euro NCAP’s tests and inspections already include
representing the pedestrian’s torso, the impactor does some assessments of areas relevant to entrapment
not provide any information about injuries to the femur e.g. door-opening forces. The inspection procedure will
portion of the lower extremities. Moreover, the current, be broadened to include other relevant areas such as
linearly-guided upper legform impactor test is not truly preventing automotive entrapment and the safety of
representative of the loading that normally occurs. Two batteries or hydrogen fuel-cells and tanks.
independent research studies (FlexPLI with Upper Body
Mass; EC Seniors Project, Horizon2020, 2017); (aPLI; Child Presence Detection (2022)
Isshiki, 2016) have shown the feasibility of replacing the Leaving an unattended child in a parked car, even for a few
current upper and lower legform tests with a revised test, minutes, can cause heat-stroke and death. Child deaths
using a leg impactor that represents the human leg with from vehicle-related heat-stroke happen less frequently
an upper body mass. Euro NCAP plans to adopt the most than those resulting from crashes, but the nature of these
feasible procedure once it is available and proven robust, entirely avoidable deaths deserves special attention.
ahead of potential adoption in European Regulation.
A child’s inability to exit the vehicle on his/her, own
Euro NCAP is also aiming to modify pedestrian head combined with a low tolerance for high temperatures,
impactor testing to include ambient conditions rele- requires that children never be left unattended in a car.
vant for cyclists as the second big group of vulnerable Technological solutions are available that can monitor
road users. Based on the findings of recent European a child’s presence in the vehicle and alert the car owner
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

research as well as the existing pedestrian protection or emergency services should the situation become
requirements, common head test boundary conditions dangerous. Euro NCAP will reward manufacturers that
for pedestrians and cyclists could be derived, whereby offer such solutions as standard.
the existing requirements are modified and two parallel
test procedures are avoided. Such rearrangement of
pedestrian/cyclist head form test conditions must take
account of the likely benefits of avoidance technology as
well as the implications for deployable bonnets.

11
 © 2017 Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club

CARRY-OVER ITEMS tance systems, this includes adding incentives for system
recognition of traffic signs, such as “One-way”, “No entry”,
The beginning of the roadmap 2025 is also the final year of
“Stop” or “Yield” road signs. A more stringent assessment
the current strategic plan (Euro NCAP, 2015). Accordingly,
of Lane Support Systems has already been announced,
a number of major rating updates have previously been
putting more emphasis on Emergency Lane Keep per-
announced to which Euro NCAP clearly stays committed.
formance over basic Lane Keep Assist. Further revisions
In 2020, the off-set deformable barrier test will be re-
may include adding a Power Two-Wheeler target in the
placed by the mobile progressive barrier test, introducing
overtake scenario or testing at curved road segments.
the THOR-50M Anthropomorphic Test Device. At the
same time, the side impact (AE-MDB) barrier mass and
test speed will be revised and far-side protection will be
FUTURE EVOLUTION
added to the Adult Occupant Protection score.
Technological advancements in safety will continue to
Child Occupant Protection test & assessment will be accelerate and find their way into the vehicle fleet and
brought into full alignment with Regulation 129, phasing transport system. With these innovations, new questions
out references to the defunct Regulation 44. Whenever will arise regarding methodology and principle: E.g. how
available, Euro NCAP intends to adopt an improved Q10 can radically different seating and restraint concepts for
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

child dummy specification to address ongoing concerns highly automated driving solutions be effectively evaluated
about the dummy’s adult belt interaction, modifying the and what will it mean for the long-established practices
criteria and limits in accordance. in crash testing? How can the validity and value of star
ratings be guaranteed when over-the-cloud software up-
It is also proposed to incrementally update the assessment dates become common-place for critical safety systems
protocols of both Speed Assistance and Lane Support in cars? For this and other reasons, Euro NCAP expects
System to reflect advancements in the capabilities of to begin to review its strategic direction again in the not
systems entering the market. In the case of speed assis- too distant future, probably by 2020.

12
3/ Automated Driving

For several years, Euro NCAP has recognised that active the driver to disengage from the driving task in defined
safety technologies can bring safety benefits, either by situations, are entering the market.
aiding safe driving (SAS, LSS) or by intervening to help
avoid a crash if one is imminent (ESC, AEB). Technology is The main characteristic of current functions is the simul-
evolving quickly and more and more of the driving function taneous automation of longitudinal and lateral control but
is being handed to the vehicle. Given that around 90 these still require the driver to oversee their safe operation.
percent of road accidents are attributable to driver error, Given the step-wise development of technologies, it
the potential safety benefits of increased automation makes sense to assess automated driving on a function
are clear assuming that the automation is at least as by function basis i.e. the scenarios in which automated
competent as the driver in complex traffic situations. It driving is provided is to be assessed separately. This would
is therefore in Euro NCAP’s interests to raise awareness allow consumers to compare the results of one vehicle
of the technologies that exist among consumers and to with those of another in the same driving situation and
promote their introduction in such a way that the safety ensure correct system use. The following is a list of use
benefits are realised. At the same time, we need to check cases for which some degree of assistance or automation
that these technologies do not introduce new risks with function is offered, or expected to be offered soon, and
a potential negative impact on safety. in which Euro NCAP may have an interest:

• Parking
• City driving
THE ROLE OF EURO NCAP
• Inter-Urban driving
Public expectations of automated driving are high, al- • Traffic Jam
though understanding may be low, and car manufacturers • Highway driving
will naturally seek to promote the technologies they offer.
In such an environment, it would be easy for consumers to In some use-cases, automation can offer greater safety
base their purchasing decisions on information provided benefits than in others. In the future, there may be good
by the manufacturer. In this situation, Euro NCAP can: reason to combine the assessments of individual func-
tionalities into a combined ‘Automated Driving’ rating.
• Clarify availability and inform consumers on what This would weigh the results of individual functionalities
is and what is not automated driving. by the relative safety relevance.
• Clearly identify functionality and encourage com-
mercial unambiguous labelling.
• Develop protocols to assess safe automation in
TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
terms of technical performance and driver vehicle
interaction. Euro NCAP is, and will remain, dedicated to the promo-
• Ensure that safety remains a factor in consumers’ tion of safer vehicles by providing relevant consumer
purchasing decisions when it comes to automated information. To this end, Euro NCAP aims to test the
driving technologies. performance of a system and, to some extent, assess
• While at the same time; the driver-vehicle interaction.
• Promote automated driving technologies and raise
awareness of their safety benefits and performance Consumer information about Automated Driving systems
limitations. must be based on transparent, objective and non-dis-
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

criminatory criteria and the independent testing of the

technology. Therefore, specific test and assessment pro-
cedures for safe Automated Driving in terms of technical
AUTOMATED FUNCTIONALITIES
performance as well as Human Machine Interaction (HMI)
The development of passenger car automation is likely have to be developed.
to be rapid but evolutionary. No car yet offers complete
automation in all situations and driving environments. Given that the first systems will already enter the market
However, early examples of Level 3 automation, allowing before test procedures can be completed, Euro NCAP

13
will focus firstly on informing consumers on the func-
tionality, technical limitations and HMI of these systems.
This means it aims to provide explanatory information
covering some of the following items: Definition (e.g.
manual, branding), System Enable, System Activation
(e.g. with ACC), Operation (functional testing of principle
system functionality such as AEB, SAS, etc.), Driver de-
activation (e.g. considered manoeuvre, like switch, brake
or steer), Drop out (automatic deactivation e.g. at end of
road markings), Override (instantaneous driver takeover,
e.g. emergency cases).

In addition, regarding successful HMI, Euro NCAP will

examine drivers’ expectations and comprehension based
on manufacturer’s information as well as the behaviour
of the system itself, to ensure a safe and intended use.
For the first time, a dual way of interaction-assessment
will be carried out pragmatically, integrating not only
experts’ technical testing but also information from user
studies in the assessment process. For this purpose,
standardized protocols and procedures for expert and
user assessments will be developed soon.

GRADATION
For the time being, the assessment of automated driving
will be kept separate from Euro NCAP’s mainstream star
rating scheme. A separate gradation scheme is proposed,
with simple, descriptive levels of the degree and safety of
the system. Euro NCAP plans for a phased-in approach
that will focus first on Continued Assistance systems,
particularly the Highway and Traffic Jam Assistants.
This will probably start ahead of the roadmap term, or
as early as 2018/2019.
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

14
4/ Other Initiatives

TRUCK LABEL so that it will be commercially attractive to vehicle

manufacturers to implement safety systems. It will
In 2011, in the EU-27, there were 4,252 fatalities from
also improve competitiveness between producers
collisions involving Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) with
and encourage them to build trucks that are safer
a weight over 3.5 tonnes. This represents 18 percent of
than their competitors;
the 27,000 people killed in road accidents in Europe
• Enable more authorities and operators to make
that year (Wismans, 2016). The largest proportion of
use of and scale up urban truck safety schemes by
HGV-related casualties was car occupants impacting a
reducing administrative barriers;
truck, crashes that occur mostly in rural areas. This was
• Reduce the administrative burden for companies
followed by accidents with vulnerable road users, 60
operating in and between different European cities
percent of which occur in urban areas. Truck occupants
(that currently may have different requirements);
represent the lowest proportion of fatalities.
• Complement and reinforce regulatory efforts such as
the General Safety Regulation or UNECE processes.
Trucks represent around five percent of registered vehicles
and are involved in around four percent of all injury acci-
Euro NCAP will support, but not necessarily lead, the
dents but around 15 percent of fatal road accidents. This
technical development of such a label for cities as well
shows that they are no more likely to become involved
as highways, based on the experience it has gained with
in a collision than other vehicle types but when they do,
testing and rating of different safety technologies.
the collision is far more likely to cause a fatality. There-
fore, trucks have a disproportionately negative effect on
road safety. This excessive impact is linked to their size,
weight and the way they are designed. Because of a high POWERED TWO WHEELERS
seating position and their vehicles’ brick-shaped cabs,
Over the last decades, motorcycles and mopeds have
truck drivers have a very poor field of view. In particular,
gained significant popularity in European cities. Riding
in built-up areas, this leads to blind spot accidents and
a powered-two-wheeler offers an attractive alternative
when crashes occur, vulnerable road users are often run
to private car ownership because it is generally is less
over by the wheels.
expensive and has advantages in terms of parking and
mobility in dense traffic. Compared to cars, however,
Opportunities are being discussed to use traditional and
powered-two-wheelers are more vulnerable and they
emerging technologies to promote the safety of vehicles
are involved in a disproportionately high percentage of
other than passenger cars. A recent ACEA report (Wismans,
fatal and serious crashes. Moreover, the safety of pow-
2016) has identified the following as effective counter-
ered-two-wheelers has not improved nearly as much as
measures that would provide cost-benefit: emergency
that of passenger cars.
braking systems that can detect cars and VRUs; extended
flexible front under-run protection; lane-keeping support
Technologies such as anti-lock braking, electronic sta-
and visibility support (aimed at reducing blind spots);
bility control, traction control and other safety related
and speed assistance systems. The question is why
equipment that would help to improve the situation for
these technologies have remained relatively uncommon
powered-two-wheelers have been available for years,
across the HGV fleet in Europe and how that situation
but are often limited to high-end, expensive motorcy-
could be changed.
cles. Powered-two-wheeler safety is an urgent problem
that requires closer collaboration between the car and
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

A dedicated truck label would be a stand-alone instru-

motorcycle industries and more awareness amongst
ment targeting a new category of vehicles not covered
riders about the potential benefits of the latest safety
by a safety rating. The label would:
innovations.

• Accelerate the market penetration and reduce the

Euro NCAP’s first and foremost role is to help address the
cost of safer vehicles and technologies by creating
powered-two-wheeler situation by promoting passenger
scale required for mass-market penetration. With this
car solutions. Last year, new initiatives were started to
approach the demand across Europe will be extended
study the type of crashes that the motorcyclists are in-

15
volved in, to evaluate the most suitable ADAS systems UN Task Force on Cyber Security and OTA issues, under
to avoid these kinds of crashes and to develop the test Umbrella of WP29/ITS-AD group (Informal Working
equipment and procedures to assess the system per- Group on Intelligent Transport Systems-Automated
formance. The outcome of this research will be used to Driving (ITS/AD), 2017).
facilitate the rating scheme updates (AEB, see page 8).
Euro NCAP will continue to monitor how these standards
Motorcycle manufacturers themselves see considerable and regulations develop and how the industry is respond-
potential in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) , which ing. Through compliance with these existing standards,
are specifically designed for powered-two-wheeler riders Euro NCAP may require a minimum level of Cyber-Security
and in those that seek to protect riders, by giving them be demonstrated by the vehicle manufacturer.
a digital presence with surrounding vehicles, and which
can inform and warn the other vehicle drivers by means
of an appropriate HMI of the oncoming motorcycle. The
Connected Motorcycle Consortium (Connected Motor-
cycle Consortium, 2014) was set up to create a common
approach for ITS on powered-two-wheelers and achieve
successful implementation and deployment of ITS
functions. Also on this subject, Euro NCAP intends to
support technology adoption on the side of the vehicle
(V2X, see page 7).

CYBER SECURITY
As cars become increasingly connected and depend
more and more on the exchange of data over the in-
ternet, so they become more vulnerable to hacking and
cyber-attack. Cases have already been reported of some
vehicle controls being remotely manipulated and there is
increasing concern that this weakness could be exploited
maliciously to jeopardise safety. In other words: a system
that is not secure is not safe.

Cyber-Security is not, per se, of direct relevance to Euro

NCAP. However, technologies may emerge that offer a
safety benefit and Euro NCAP may reward these, thereby
advising consumers that vehicles will be safer for having
such systems. If it transpires that these systems are
easily attacked in a way that undermines their safety,
trust in Euro NCAP’s rating could also be undermined.
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

Work is ongoing to develop a revision of ISO 26262 (Au-

tomotive Functional Safety) and a joint working group
between ISO (21434) and SAE (J3061) has started the
development of an Automotive Cyber-Security Standard.
This will provide a Cyber-Security process framework and
help companies design security into cyber-physical vehicle
systems throughout the entire development lifecycle
process. At the same time, the topic is discussed by the

16
 17
EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP
Start Protocol Release Implementation 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Implementation

ROADMAP 2020
AEB VRU cyclist
Protocol Release

Far-side protection
Mobile progressive deformable barrier
ROADMAP 2025 — SAFETY RATING
Start

Driver monitoring
AEB VRU pedestrian - Back-over
AEB - Junction & Crossing
AEB - Head-on
Automatic Emergency Steering
V2X
Whiplash/Rear-end Crash Protection
Revised subsystem for pedestrian & cyclist
Rescue, extrication and safety
Child presence detection
Timeline

ROADMAP 2025 — AD
Grading of AD functions
Communication only Proposal to release updates out
based on first ideas of phase with overall rating
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EURO NCAP 20/25 ROADMAP

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