When passenger cars from Chinese brands began entering Europe and were subjected to crash tests, they performed poorly and in one case, the damage was very shocking. It seemed that the vehicles from the young auto industry in China were unsafe and that was the image they had for a while.
In 2023, things have changed and clearly, the Chinese carmakers have worked hard to make sure their cars are world-class in almost every aspect, especially safety.
New, tougher tests in 2023
Evidence of this can be seen in the latest results announced by Euro NCAP, the independent organisation which evaluates the safety of new models sold in Europe. The 2023 test standards are new and tougher than before and the first vehicles to achieve the maximum 5 stars are two electric vehicles from Chinese manufacturer NIO, which was established in 2014.
The ability of a vehicle to protect occupants and vulnerable users in the event of a crash (passive safety), to prevent or minimise the outcomes of a crash (active safety) and comprehensive information about post-crash rescue are now essential to achieve a high Euro NCAP safety rating.
Euro NCAP reported that two models from NIO – the Large Family car ET5 and the Large SUV EL7 – displayed good levels of passive safety with good protection offered for the knees and femurs of both the driver and passenger as well as occupants of different sizes sitting in different positions within the car.
First vehicles tested with new scenarios
The two vehicles were the first undertaking the brand-new Euro NCAP Active Safety scenarios, introduced in 2023: Car-to-Motorcycle, Car-to-Car Crossing, Car-to-Car Head-on, Dooring, and Driver State Monitoring. Both vehicles delivered exceptional performance in most of the test cases.
Still room for improvement
NIO demonstrated here the fast pace that Active Safety technology has taken over the years in avoiding ever-increasing complex crash types. However, the lack of performance in some of the most challenging scenarios (eg Car-to-Car Crossing at higher speeds) strongly suggests that there is still room for improvement and that 2023 scenarios leave the bar high for the upcoming period.
Both vehicles also have an advanced eCall system which alerts the emergency services in the event of a crash. There is also a system which applies the brakes after an impact, to avoid secondary collisions (though this is already available from manufacturers like Volkswagen). If either of the NIO vehicles entered deep water, the doors, and windows would remain functional long enough to allow the occupants to escape.
Ultra long-range LiDAR
NIO is one of the first manufacturers on the European market to mount an ultra-long-range LiDAR sensor on the roof of both cars. This is one of the next generation of sensors that will be employed to deliver Automated Driving in the future.
Today, it brings benefits to the Collision Avoidance capability of the NIO, helping it to achieve a high Safety Assist score. The distinctive sensor is roof-mounted above the windscreen in what NIO calls the ‘watch-tower position’, which enables the sensor to operate over a long-range, aiding performance at high speed by offering a better view of the road ahead.
“As the new rating gets tougher, to be among the first cars tested might be slightly daunting. However, NIO has stepped up to the challenge and achieved two 5-star results, underlining their big ambitions for the brand. Safety technologies are becoming complex, yet I want to reassure consumers that Euro NCAP will continue to anticipate and adapt to changes in our rating scheme, challenging vehicle manufacturers to ensure drivers – and the road users they interact with – are offered the safest possible vehicles,” said Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary-General.