Euro NCAP puts 'annoying' ADAS in crosshairs
You whinged, they listened - new safety tests coming 'more representative of real-world environment'
No new car can escape the blight that is driver assistance. The original intention was laudable - using technology to minimise the chances of crashing - but the integration has been so clumsy in some cases that it’s become a real bugbear. Moreover, as well as acting like the most paranoid of helicopter parents, a good few systems are overly tricky to turn off. Which, ironically enough, is when drivers are probably most distracted and likely to crash these days.
The obsession with burying substandard safety features in layers and layers of menus has become such a problem that Euro NCAP has finally deemed it worthy of attention. You know it’s a safety concern when it’s on their radar, especially when it features in the biggest shakeup of its testing and regs since 2009. This will introduce new guidance from next year designed to, amongst other things, make sure ADAS works in the real world and not just the lab. Which could ultimately mean the return of important features to actual buttons, and not irritating sub-menus.
Get yourself comfy for a surprisingly sensible statement from a large automotive corporation. ‘Several changes to Euro NCAP’s testing programme have been made in response to consumer feedback. Driver assistance systems, which have faced criticism for annoying warnings or intrusive interventions, will be evaluated not only on their crash-prevention abilities on the test track, but also during real-world driving, with the aim of improving consumer acceptance.’ You have to question why this wasn’t a consideration in the first place, given drivers only use their cars in the real world rather than the test track, but late is ultimately better than never.
In terms of the actual Euro NCAP test, the assessment now takes place over four ‘key stages of safety’, which are safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection, and post-crash safety, all scored out of 100. Stuff like lane assist and speed warnings will come under the first two stages; they will be rated on the ‘smoothness and intuitiveness of operation in everyday testing’, with new test scenarios to more accurately reflect where cars are driven. Unobtrusive systems will do well, ‘addressing concerns about intrusive or unpredictable interventions.’ Encouragingly, Euro NCAP’s test protocols will now be updated every three years, to better keep track of the pace of development.
That’s not the end of entirely sensible and rational stuff coming from Belgium, either: ‘New assessments of the human–machine interface (HMI) are introduced, evaluating the placement, clarity, and ease of use of essential controls — including the availability of physical buttons for commonly used functions, which consumer feedback suggests can reduce distraction.’ If a car is going to be marked down from next year for how simple it is to use, then you can bet on one or two interior rethinks in the near future. Especially with so many of the worst offenders, as far as poorly integrated tech goes, among family-focused cars - where a Euro NCAP score definitely still holds sway. First, it was steering locks back to deter thieves, now physical buttons could be back on dashboards; before you know it air fresheners will be back dangling from mirrors and it really will be 1997 all over again.
Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP’s General Secretary, said: “The 2026 protocols further strengthen the rigour and relevance of our tests, rewarding vehicles that perform well across all stages of safety - before, during, and after a crash. The updates to protocols ensure that Euro NCAP’s testing, analysis, and ratings remain the definitive guide for consumers who value an impartial guide to the safety of the latest cars.” Which sounds like good news for all of us - especially if it does away with infernal screen-based afterthoughts.
Consumers didn't want these systems, I can't imagine manufacturers are particularly stoked about having to develop them and have them irritate their customers, they exist because they had to be in place to get a decent NCAP score no matter how actually safe the car was.
these crap systems that don't work are only in cars because component manufacturers persuaded Euro NCAP to include them in their tests who persuaded legislators to make them law.
They were even recently pushing to remove the off switches but at least they now realise some of this stuff doesn't work.
Maybe they should have done this testing Before telling Governments it should be fitted!
I had decided i wouldn't own a car newer than 2024 as they are all so annoying at the moment
Perhaps there will just be a "black spot" from 2024 to 2027 ~ 2029 when these changes are widely implimented for me to avoid
But as others have said, E-NCaP helped to create this mess, so to claim they are rescuing us from it is taking the piss !!
The other thing someone needs to get a grip on is LED headlights and how they dazzle on-coming traffic
The current lightly regulations clearly don't work with LED technology and very urgently need updating
But sadly that will take a few years and as headlights are "locked into" the style of the car we are going to be stuck with more and more car with dazzling LED's coming onto the road for at least another 5 to 10 years
It is really making driving at night unpleasent and is on the borderline of unsafe
Can't blame Euro-NCAP for this one but if they wanted to be part of the solution then that would be really a useful thing for them to do !!
BMW 330e
911 GTS
Mazda 3
The Mazda continually bonged at me, speed limit change, you’ve exceeded the speed limit, the limit has changed, let me me steer that for you
The 330e beeped at me when I went too fast round roundabouts bizarrely
The 911 was better though still bonged a lot
Quite different cars, wouldn t consider buying any of them, all appalling safety systems, will be good if they can use some common sense with this
If only someone would rethink the DRL situation and include rear lights, or make auto-lights compulsory. I still see so many of the gormless driving at night with no rear lights because they've got some on the front and the dashboard is lit up.
Surely that is a major safety issue?
I will be changing my own car in 2 or 3 years and ease of disabling some of these features will be a major factor in my choice.
Better late than never.
Can they also look at headlight performance while they are at it.
Both from a glare perspective and performance perspective.
I have spent the last 15 years in C-Class with bi-xenon.
Brilliant controlled illumination on dip, with mega main beam. Never got flashed for dazzling.
Roll forward and just bought a new Toyota C-HR
Packed with frustrating tech binging and bonging every 30 seconds and warning me of every potential hazard.
However, the basic headlight performance is utterly woeful, dip or main beam, just vague puddles of weak illumination. Yet I get flashed as obviously scattering that poor light everywhere.
The car has all the safety intervention in daylight but is basically a complete liability above 30mph as soon as it gets dark.
They have to be called out.
Progress? In safety terms, all this tech IMO is utterly counter productive ( but no doubt cheap to implement)
I had decided i wouldn't own a car newer than 2024 as they are all so annoying at the moment
Perhaps there will just be a "black spot" from 2024 to 2027 ~ 2029 when these changes are widely implimented for me to avoid
But as others have said, E-NCaP helped to create this mess, so to claim they are rescuing us from it is taking the piss !!
The other thing someone needs to get a grip on is LED headlights and how they dazzle on-coming traffic
The current lightly regulations clearly don't work with LED technology and very urgently need updating
But sadly that will take a few years and as headlights are "locked into" the style of the car we are going to be stuck with more and more car with dazzling LED's coming onto the road for at least another 5 to 10 years
It is really making driving at night unpleasent and is on the borderline of unsafe
Can't blame Euro-NCAP for this one but if they wanted to be part of the solution then that would be really a useful thing for them to do !!
Consumers didn't want these systems, I can't imagine manufacturers are particularly stoked about having to develop them and have them irritate their customers, they exist because they had to be in place to get a decent NCAP score no matter how actually safe the car was.
tes.Ultimately they didn't have to introduce them at all - NCAP is a voluntary scheme.
Once that’s sorted you then have to switch off lane keep assist and front impact protection every time you switch the car on via a clunky interface (no single button) as the LKAS is borderline dangerous in how much it yanks the wheel should you, say, want to merge into a lane or cross a white line at any point. If you forget to switch it off, you then have to access the same clunky interface when on the move which is a huge distraction. It’s anti-safety.
When integrated properly, these systems can work really well. The ADAS in my Merc by comparison is so subtle and effective that I barely need to switch it off.
If only someone would rethink the DRL situation and include rear lights, or make auto-lights compulsory. I still see so many of the gormless driving at night with no rear lights because they've got some on the front and the dashboard is lit up.
Surely that is a major safety issue?
I appreciate some cars may have voice control for but I don't want to talk to a chuffing car.
Every time I start the Cupra ... Stop/Start "off" ... Lane Keep Assist "off"
The other stuff works reasonably well - the speed limit warning is a red indication on the speedo, which makes you aware without any bings or bongs.
To be legal, they must annoying to switch off.
Quite apart from the exhaust volume with the flaps open ... when you disable LKS ... it stays off across restarts!
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