Euro NCAP to adopt autonomous vehicle ratings

The Euro New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) safety-test rating will establish a separate category for autonomous vehicles, but there is not likely to be one for cars that are claimed to protect all occupants from serious injury or death. And while there is currently little sign of a harmonized engineering and cost saving global test system, there may be an opportunity in the future, reckons Matthew Avery, Director of Insurance Research at Thatcham Research, which carries out Euro NCAP tests in the U.K.

According to Michiel van Ratingen, the Euro NCAP General Secretary, there has been a “slow down” in new safety systems' progress. According to Avery, this isn't due to lack of ideas.