In the second part I will present what it is NCAP. Probably most of you have heard about it. Develop names are: the European New Car Assessment Programme.
Euro NCAP organizes and provides consumers with crash-test with a realistic andindependent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. Founded in 1997, Euro NCAP consists of seven European governments, as well as motoring and consumer organizations in every European country. Euro NCAP has rapidly become a catalyst for encouraging significant safetyimprovements a new project car.
Tests that cars pass can be classified into:
Frontal Impact
Frontal impact test is based on that developed by European Enhanced Vehicle-safety Committee as basis for legislation, but impact speed has been increased by 8 km/h.
Frontal impact takes place at 64kph (40mph), car strikes deformable barrier that is offset. Readings taken from dummies are used to assess protection given to adult front occupants.
Each car tested is subjected to an offset impact into an immovable block fitted with a deformable aluminium honeycomb face. This impact is intended to represent the most frequent type of road crash, resulting in serious or fatal injury. The barrier face is deformable to represent the deformable nature of the cars. This test is a severe test of the car’s ability to survive the impact without suffering passenger.
Steering wheel mounted airbags form an important part of the driver’s restraint system. For a restrained occupant, the deceleration forces, generated in the crash, are transmitted to the occupant through the restraint system. Euro NCAP has encouraged the adoption of seat belt pretentioners, load limiters and dual stage airbags, to help attenuate the forces transmitted to the occupant.
Car to Side Impact
The second most important crash configuration is car to car side impact. Euro NCAP simulates this type of crash by having a mobile deformable barrier (MDB) impact the driver’s door at 50 km/h. The injury protection is assessed by a side impact test dummy, in the driver’s seat.
Pole Side Impact
Accident vary from country to country, but approximately a quarter of all serious injuries happen in side impact collisions. Many of these injuries occur when one car runs into the side of another or into a fixed narrow object such as a tree or pole.
To encourage manufacturers to fit head protection devices, pole test may be performed, where such safety features are fitted. Side impact head or curtain airbags help to protect the head and upper torso by providing a padding effect and by preventing the head from passing through the window opening. In the test, the car tested is propelled sideways at 29kph (18mph) into a rigid pole. The pole is relatively narrow, so there is major penetration into the side of the car.
Pedestrian Protection
A series of tests are carried out to replicate accidents involving child and adult pedestrians where impacts occur at 40kph (25mph). Impact sites are then assessed and rated to weak and poor. In 2009, the pedestrian score has become integral part of the overall rating scheme.
Do you think such tests are a good idea?
When choosing a car pay you attention to safety?
Would you choose Chinese car?
At the end I suggest watch how looks like the Chinese car during the accident: