Thatcham Research to launch real-world ADAS testing
Thatcham Research is ending its partnership with Euro NCAP and will now develop its own ADAS testing programme.
It joined Euro NCAP in 2004 but plans to introduce a more nuanced approach to ADAS testing that measures their safety features in ‘real-world’ scenarios.
The announcement comes just a few months after Euro NCAP revealed it was overhauling its testing procedures to bring them in line with modern vehicle technologies.
Speaking to Autocar, Thatcham Research chief research and operations officer Richard Billyeald said: “There is a need, from our point of view, for a little more nuance. The discussion is around how ADAS systems interfere with the job of driving and that is mostly a negative and not a positive thing.
“When we talk about real-world safety, it’s how do we make these systems work when they’re supposed to? We want these systems to reflect their capability.
“We want them to stop you from running into someone but we don’t want them to interfere when they shouldn’t. When they do, drivers turn them off and so are not getting the safety benefit and that’s the key here. We want a more collaborative driving experience.”
Distracting
A study by Thatcham Research carried out last year revealed that 82% of UK drivers feel safer with ADAS features in their vehicles. However, the survey also revealed that 23% of respondents said that some ADAS features can be distracting, irritating or intrusive during driving.
Billyeald concluded:
“We and Euro NCAP have done fantastic work in the past 25 years improving passive safety and active safety but now’s the time to concentrate on our own agenda. It’s still a safety agenda but we’re taking a more real-world view of safety.”
