Safety of Chinese Vehicles Recognized by Europe’s NCAP

Rapidly advancing Chinese auto industry earns recognition from NCAP
Recent remarks by the Secretary-General sparked discussion

The quality level of Chinese vehicles has quickly developed and has reached a level that threatens the existing industry. They were once notorious for low quality and design plagiarism, but with the advent of the electric vehicle era in the 2020s, concerns about Chinese vehicles are gradually disappearing.

In particular, the change in safety, which was the biggest drawback of Chinese vehicles, attracts attention. An official from Euro NCAP( European New Car Assessment Program) recently became a hot topic: “the Chinese automobile industry has secured a better level of safety performance than the existing industry.”

Equal or Superior level proven by test results

According to a report by China Daily on April 1, Euro NCAP Secretary General Michiel van Ratingen attended and made remarks like these at the 2024 Automotive Testing and Evaluation Innovation Conference held by the China Automotive Technology Research Center.

“Chinese vehicle manufacturers are launching vehicles in the European market that are equal to, or sometimes better than, those of their global competitors,” he told China Daily. Chinese vehicle manufacturers have significantly improved their products’ quality and safety performance. “This is evident when customers look at the ratings and test vehicles we have provided,” he added.

Six out of Ten models are Chinese in Top Safety Ratings

Euro NCAP, located in Leuven, Belgium, is an agency that conducts various safety tests on new cars launched in Europe. Ratings are given by evaluating four items: adult and child occupants, pedestrian protection, and safety assistance systems. Along with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the U.S., Euro NCAP is considered one of the world’s most stringent automobile safety evaluation agencies. Test results are also used in manufacturers’ marketing.

It is also worth paying attention to the high-scoring rankings of new cars that passed the Euro NCAP test in 2023. Of the top 10 models in the overall evaluation, 6 were made in China. These include Nio ET5 and EL7, BYD Dolphin, Seal, Seal-U, and Smart (the joint venture by Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely) #3.

The four car models were three German brands and one Japanese brand, including the Volkswagen ID.7, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, BMW 5 Series, and Lexus RZ.

Nio ET5 takes first place

Among them, Nio ET5, which ranked first, received an average score of 86.25 out of 100. Looking at each sector, adult occupant protection is 96%, child occupant protection is 85%, pedestrian protection is 83%, and safety assistance system is 81%. Although it did not rank in the top 10 in child occupant protection, it ranked first in adult occupant protection. The highest score in the safety assistance system category was taken by #3 (85 points) of Smart Automobile, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely.

Significantly, this evaluation was made in Europe, the starting point of the automobile industry, by an agency that evaluates vehicles based on objective standards and is not affiliated with any automobile manufacturer. There was a time when Hyundai Motor Group was ignored, like the Chinese vehicle industry, but now it has become the world’s third-largest brand. For the Korean automobile industry to avoid being overtaken by the Chinese industry, it must always closely examine its current level and continue to develop.

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