Euro NCAP releases updated safety ratings

Euro NCAP has released updated ratings for 18 commercial vans.

The ratings are based on tougher tests of ‘active’ crash avoidance systems with ratings ranging from ‘Gold’ to ‘Not Recommended’.

The tests were carried out in partnership with Thatcham Research, the UK’s only Euro NCAP accredited testing centre.

Chief research strategy officer Matthew Avery said: “As a society, our reliance on commercial vans shows no sign of declining anytime soon. When one of the millions of vans on UK roads is involved in a collision, impact severity tends to be higher than that of a passenger vehicle, which is why Euro NCAP’s rating is focused on the performance of safety technologies that avoid or mitigate crashes.

“With 13.5% of the whole vehicle fleet comprising of vans, it’s important that van drivers, and those sharing the roads with them, are protected. This latest set of results demonstrates that manufacturers are responding positively and it’s of note that the UK’s most popular commercial van, the Ford Transit, secured a ‘Gold’ rating.

“However, the fitment of crash avoidance technology seen on vans has some way to go before gaining parity with the high levels of standard fitment we enjoy on cars today.”

Meanwhile, Euro NCAP has also announced that it will soon introduce a rating scheme for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), with a focus on Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.