Thatcham Demands Auto-braking as Standard

30 June 2016 | Updated 01 January 1970

New Euro NCAP five-star cars embrace safety by featuring advanced high performance automatic braking systems and auto-brake pedestrian protection. We've seen the first Alfa Romeo to feature Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and the first SEAT to offer the system as standard fit.

The vehicle safety test results were issued this week by Euro NCAP and reveal that car makers are embracing the importance of offering a full range of advanced safety technologies on new vehicles and accepting that standard rather than optional fitment is the best policy.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia and SEAT Ateca achieved a top, five-star score, with their portfolios of safety equipment crucial in securing the rating. Both feature sophisticated AEB systems that operate in both lower speed and higher speed environments, significantly reducing the likelihood of a crash.

The two new cars are also equipped with pedestrian protection AEB technology, which is designed to further reduce the risk to vulnerable road users and became part of the Euro NCAP test procedure at the beginning of 2016.

“Alfa Romeo and SEAT deserve praise for the high level of safety technology on these new cars and in particular for including advanced automatic braking as standard,” said Peter Shaw, Chief Executive of independent safety expert, Thatcham Research. “It’s clear that manufacturers are increasingly responding to consumer calls for standard fit safety and simplifying the buying decision. UK motorists can now choose any Giulia or Ateca model and be safe in the knowledge that they and other road users are better protected by a vital technology that is proven to significantly reduce crashes.”

The new five-star cars in detail

SEAT’s first-ever SUV is also the first SEAT to have AEB as standard and in AEB City tests the Ateca avoided collision at up to 50kmh (30mph), the highest speed tested for this type of system. The Ateca is classified as a Small Off-Road vehicle by Euro NCAP and is positioned alongside the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X1 and Kia Sportage, all of which have a five-star rating. These cars are competing in one of the fastest-growing market sectors in the UK and attract drivers looking for a family car with the latest safety technology. The new Volkswagen Tiguan, which is also in this category, is another five-star car that scores highly on safety.

The new Giulia is the first Alfa Romeo to feature AEB and also has a range of complementary safety technologies, including Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning. It shares a Large Family Car five-star Euro NCAP rating with cars such as the Jaguar XE, Toyota Avensis and Audi A4.

Thatcham Research believes that a life-saving technology as important as Autonomous Emergency Braking should be fitted as standard on all new cars on sale in the UK. Currently, just 21% have it as standard, with a further 27% offering it as an option. Thatcham Research is urging fleet buyers to only consider new cars with the technology and believes that car makers need to take action now to accelerate the pace of AEB being fitted to all new cars, without exception.

Article written by Show Editor | Published 30 June 2016