The 2016 All-New Audi A4 gets the full five star award from EURO NCAP.

• Top score in Euro NCAP for active and passive safety
• Audi pre sense city with emergency braking function standard
• The new Audi A4 is among the safest cars in its field of competitors. The European consortium Euro NCAP has awarded it the top score of five stars for adult and child safety as well as for pedestrian protection.

It also gave the Audi A4 the “Euro NCAP advanced” special award for its standard-fit multi-collision brake assist system and for the Audi pre sense basic system, which is available as an option. 

Multi-collision brake assist automatically brakes the Audi in the event of an accident, thus reducing the danger of skidding as well as the risk of further collisions. Audi pre sense basic tightens the seat belt in hazardous situations leading up to a collision, and closes the windows and sunroof.

Another key element of integral safety in the Audi A4 is the standard-fit assistance system Audi pre sense city – an anticipatory warning and emergency braking function. At speeds of up to 85 km/h (52.8 mph), the system checks whether there are other vehicles or pedestrians in the path of the car. 

If there is the risk of a collision it warns the driver according to a multi-stage concept: first visually and acoustically, then by a jolt of the brakes. Finally it triggers an automatic emergency brake application if need be.

There is also an array of other assistance systems to enhance safety in the Audi A4. These include collision avoidance assist, turn assist and the exit warning. 

While collision avoidance assist helps the driver to drive around an obstacle, turn assist monitors oncoming traffic when turning across the flow of traffic at low speed. In a dangerous situation, it brakes the A4 to a complete stop, if necessary, to prevent a turn when there is oncoming traffic.

The exit warning minimizes the risk of injury when opening the doors. LEDs that light up red warn the occupants not to open the doors when other road users are approaching from behind.

Established in 1997, the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) investigates the crash performance of new car models. In 2015 the consortium made the requirements for the front and side impact collision tests even tougher in order to reflect actual accident scenarios even more accurately.

Skoda achieves highest score in it's class in the Euro Ncap 2014 Crash Tests.

• The ŠKODA Fabia achieved the highest score in its class in the 2014 Euro NCAP crash tests, and was the only one of 14 small cars tested to get five stars
• Outstanding passenger protection for adults and children
• Innovative safety systems, six airbags fitted as standard
• ŠKODA model range safer than ever

The new ŠKODA Fabia is the safest small car according to the latest Euro NCAP crash tests. Back in November 2014, the new ŠKODA model achieved the highest score in its segment, becoming the only one of 14 small cars to get five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests. 

The Euro NCAP evaluation is based on the results in the categories of passenger protection for adults and children, pedestrian protection, and supporting safety systems.

‘With innovative safety systems and a comprehensive safety package, our new model is setting standards in its segment. Receiving the award for being the safest small car in the Euro NCAP crash tests confirms this once again,’ said Dr. Frank Welsch, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development.

The new ŠKODA Fabia was awarded the best rating of five stars by Euro NCAP in all four evaluation categories (passenger protection for adults, child safety, safety assistance systems and pedestrian protection). The evaluators appreciated the stability of the passenger compartment in particular. The maximum possible score was given for the protection of infants up to 18 months. The safety of children up to three years of also received a high rating.

The new ŠKODA Fabia has been available in some European markets since mid-November 2014, and is now on sale in the UK. The third-generation model is winning over customers with its expressive design, eco-friendliness, technology and increased safety and comfort.

The new ŠKODA Fabia features safety innovations previously reserved for vehicles from higher classes. In the UK, it comes with Front Assistant with integrated City Emergency Brake function as standard from SE specification. The system uses radar to constantly measure the distance to the vehicle in front, and intervenes if the car is too close.

The new ŠKODA Fabia also feature a multi-collision brake, reducing the risk of a subsequent crash following a collision in the road. Furthermore, it now comes with optional Driver Activity Assistant (fatigue recognition), and safety systems including a speed limiter, Hill Hold Control and an electronic tyre pressure monitoring system.

The safety package in the new ŠKODA Fabia provides the best possible protection in the event of an accident. Six airbags – front, side and head – protect passengers in combination with five three-point seat belts. A high-strength body and optimised crumple zones form the basis of increased passive safety.

Each of ŠKODA’s vehicles now has the highest safety rating: all seven current models have received five stars in Euro NCAP tests at their launch – from the Citigo to the Superb. The top ratings have been the result of the company’s extensive efforts to achieve maximum active and passive vehicle safety.

Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) is an independent consortium of European transport ministries, automobile associations, insurers and consumer advocates. The organisation performs crash tests on new types of vehicle, assessing their safety.

Smart Fortwo vs. S-Class - Crash test

The 2016 Smart Fortwo comes in at just 2,478 pounds, so how well does it survive when crashed against a Mercedes-Benz S-Class that weighs over twice as much? 

To test out the safety of its redesigned microcar, Mercedes-Benz pitted the two cars against each other in a head-on collision at 31 mph. Parts went flying, but the passenger compartment in the Smart vehicle remained intact after the crash. According to Smart, the force on the occupants was "significantly lower" than biomechanical limits, meaning that the driver and passenger can actually survive in this situation.

 Even the previous-generation Fortwo was considered to have good safety ratings for its class. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the 2014 ForTwo "Good" in moderate overlap front crashes, side crashes, and roof strength tests. It earned a score of "Acceptable" in head restraints and seat tests. For 2016, Smart has improved the Fortwo's tridion safety cell thanks to ultra-high-strength steel with multiphase steel. 

The model also includes a thicker structure that runs along the C-pillar. The new Fortwo goes on sale in the U.S. during fall of 2015. Make sure and check out the video below to see how the Smart car performs.

REPORT HERE

Euro NCAP Crash Tests on Heavy Quadricycles

Euro NCAP has tested four heavy quadricycles in a special safety campaign. All vehicles have performed very poorly and some have shown serious risks of life threatening injuries.

 

Renault Twizy 80

Tazzari ZERO

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Ligier IXO JS LINE 4 places

Club Car Villager 2+2 LSV

In recent years, a new class of sub-compact vehicles has emerged in Europe. Quadricycles, originally derived from motorcycles, are small and fuel-efficient vehicles used in rural or urban areas as an alternative to motorbikes or city cars. In some countries, they are also used by local government authorities and institutions which require small and environmentally-friendly vehicles. Although street-legal, quadricycles do not have to pass any of the rigorous crash tests to which cars are subjected.

The Club Car Villager 2+2 LSV, the Renault Twizy 80, the Tazzari ZERO and the Ligier IXO J LINE 4 Places are fully type-approved for use on public roads. Yet, in frontal and side impacts at 50km/h, all vehicles showed severe safety problems. The tests differ from Euro NCAP’s normal procedures and the results of the quadricycles cannot be compared with the star ratings published for passenger cars.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: ‘It’s worrying to find that, because crash safety tests are not required by law, quadricycles show a level of safety that is way below that of cars. Even though they meet legislative standards, these vehicles lack the minimum safety equipment which has become commonplace on passenger cars sold in Europe.’

While some vehicles scored better than others, all four quadricycles showed serious safety problems. The vehicles were scored primarily on data from crash dummies but penalties were also given for poor performance of the structure or restraints. The Ligier and the Tazzari had major failings of their restraint systems in the frontal test. In the Ligier, the upper connection of the driver’s seatbelt pulled out of the structure, leaving the dummy unrestrained and leading to a high risk of injury. In the Tazzari, the driver seatbelt broke and the driver’s head hit the steering wheel with a force that indicated a high risk of serious or fatal injury. The structure of the Club Car virtually collapsed in the frontal impact. The Renault Twizy - the only vehicle of the four tested to have an airbag as standard - scored best but its stiff structure and restraint system resulted in some dangerously high dummy readings.

‘Our test campaign confirms that quadricycles generally provide a much lower level of safety than regular passenger cars. The poor results, however, urge us to ask ourselves whether consumers should really be satisfied with the protection currently being offered? As quadricycles look set to become more and more popular, Euro NCAP is calling for manufacturers and legislative authorities to ensure a minimum level of crash safety for this vehicle segment’ stated Michiel van Ratingen.