The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finalized significant updates to its 5-Star Safety Ratings program, known as the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), introducing advanced technologies and safety standards aimed at reducing road fatalities.
“These changes to the 5-Star Safety Ratings will speed up adoption of technologies that reduce the frequency and severity of crashes while helping consumers make informed decisions about buying a new car,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.
Key updates to the program include the addition of pedestrian-focused crashworthiness evaluations and four new advanced driver assistance technologies (ADAS), such as pedestrian automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. Existing ADAS features, like automatic emergency braking, will also undergo enhanced testing to meet strengthened performance criteria.
A new pedestrian protection component evaluates the ability of a vehicle’s front end to reduce injuries and fatalities in vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions, part of a growing emphasis on protecting road users outside of vehicles to address increasing pedestrian fatalities.
“Our goal with NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings program has always been to help consumers choose safer vehicles and to encourage manufacturers to improve vehicle safety,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Adam Raviv. “With these NCAP updates, we’re ensuring consumers have more useful and relevant information on the latest safety technologies.”
The revisions also include mid- and long-term plans to integrate future innovations in vehicle safety, particularly in crash avoidance and crashworthiness for bicyclists and motorcyclists, alongside an updated rating system. These changes are part of the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy to achieve zero road fatalities.
For more details on the updated program, visit NHTSA.gov/Ratings.
