The safety organisation plans to place more and more emphasis on accident prevention technologies in future. Last year Euro NCAP announced it will include Autonomous Emergency Braking systems in the star rating in an effort to promote wider fitment of this life saving technology in Europe. With only a limited number of car makers offering AEB on today’s vehicles, the stricter requirements and increasing consumer demand will challenge car makers.

In a press release Euro NCAP Secretary General Michiel van Ratingen said: “Safety means more than protecting occupants in a crash. Through the expansion of our tests and the assessment of important active safety systems, our aim is to allow all road users to benefit from safe cars with advanced systems in the most affordable way.”

He told Car Safety Rules: “We need to sort out what is important compared to what is desirable. We have to make sure that any star rating contains the critical safety equipment that’s essential. In the future, the five-star rating will have everything that’s critical plus what is desirable. Dropping stars will only omit technologies that are merely desirable.”

It sounds like a positive move. At present, so many cars receive a five-star rating that it can be difficult to choose between vehicles. When the difference can be small variations in pedestrian and child protection, it’s even harder. In the coming years, fitment of accident prevention technologies will be decisive and we need a rating system that reflects this.

Car Safety Rules will publish a full version of the interview with Michiel van Ratingen soon. Sign up to our newsletter to receive it.