Explore 5 Fab New ANCAP Safety Ratings for 2023

If you’re buying a vehicle, what could be cooler than having a website that gives you a range of filters to help you choose your dream car? ANCAP safety ratings do exactly that – they show the results of safety tests for cars. With several stellar safety options you can toggle, including make and model; it’s like car window shopping made even better.

Recently ANCAP announced that it will be bringing an even wider scope to these ratings around safety tests for cars, starting next year. The Australasian independent voice on vehicle safety just made great even greater. If you haven’t tried out the star rating filter system, just do it. Even if you’re not car shopping it’s so much fun!

“Vehicles, and the safety technologies within them, are continuing to evolve, and our test criteria are too,” Ms Hoorweg said.

– ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

Now where were we? Ah yes, let’s take a closer look at how ANCAP is ratcheting up its already impressive car safety ratings. From active to passive safety and the impact ANCAP has on manufacturers, find out here.

What’s new from ANCAP safety ratings?

In breaking news, ANCAP has now launched a refreshed website in Australia and New Zealand giving buyers a whole range of new tools that explore safety tests for cars. This includes new ‘Help Me Choose’ and ‘Search by Brand’ tools.

As of 2023, ANCAP will introduce the following updates to safety ratings:

🚘 1. Motorcycle-detecting technologies for braking and lane support

From 2023 ANCAP will introduce AEB Powered-Two-Wheeler into its testing. This is an autonomous emergency braking system (AEB) that detects and responds to motorcyclists.

The system will assess a vehicle’s ability to brake for motorcycles in several different scenarios. These include motorcycles that are in front of the vehicle (whether moving or stationary), turning in intersections and active lane support systems (LSS) to help prevent side-swipe accidents.

ANCAP safety ratings already assessed AEB for mitigating incidents with other vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. This new introduction of AEB Powered-Two-Wheeler will be a welcome rating for bike lovers. Dreaming of getting a motorbike? Then read our article on how to get a motorcycle licence.

🚘 2. Pedestrian and cyclist protection

ANCAP safety ratings for ‘pedestrian-friendly’ design are well established, having continually progressed for over two decades now. But as of next year enhancements will include leg form impactor test equipment at a more advanced level.

Test equipment will provide broader insights into potential collision risks to cyclists and pedestrians, including mitigation. This will incorporate an adult leg plus upper body mass.

Collision avoidance testing will also include a vehicle’s capacity to auto-brake in reverse to prevent knocking a child (AEB Backover). Another test feature is AEB Junction, which will protect cyclists approaching from behind, passing an opening door (by delaying it from opening), or crossing the path of a turning car.

🚘 3. AEB head-on and junction crossing avoidance

Head on collisions can be tricky to avoid when cars are moving at high speeds because the collision avoidance system needs to detect the other car from a distance. Vehicles with sensors with a wide field of view help improve this capacity.

AEB head-on and Junction systems performance testing is geared to encourage manufacturers’ improvements to collision avoidance for oncoming vehicles (directly / right-angles).

🚘 4. Child presence detection

New Child Presence Detection (CPD) systems will send a warning if a child is accidentally locked in a car. This warning can happen across a range of methods:

• A visual or audio signal to the car infotainment system (if there’s one)
• The car horn can sound
• A notification can be sent to the driver’s phone via an app
• Emergency services can be alerted via an ‘eCall’

🚘 5. Vehicle submergence escape mechanisms

Vehicle submergence is a new test feature that will be welcomed in case of floods. Cars that are submerged in water – for any number of reasons, whether driving into a lake or being trapped during a flood – can be hard to escape. Electric handles and windows don’t work in water and can trap the occupants of the car.

From next year ANCAP safety ratings will test the capacity of car windows and doors to function manually if a car is submerged. The safety tests will assess how easy it is to exit the car at such a time and/or rescue trapped occupants.

When it rains in Australia, it seriously pours, so be sure to read PD Insurance’s safety tips for driving in wet road conditions. Here’s a news report on recent floods in NSW, something that seems to be increasing in frequency each year:

Two cornerstones of ANCAP safety ratings

ANCAP safety ratings help ensure new cars entering the Australian market and joining our road traffic are competitively safer as time goes by. Vehicle manufacturers are urged through extensive assessments to compete for market share.

“Physical protection in a crash, and the ability to actively avoid a crash are both essential elements to achieve a high ANCAP safety rating, and this approach will continue from 2023.”

– ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

In other words, to get a better star rating car makers need to continuously offer more effective safety. That’s good for buyers and for everyone we share the road with. Safety can be looked at from many directions and two ways ANCAP does so are:

• Passive safety. Car design and technology to protect you and your occupants in the case of an accident
• Active safety. Design that actively helps prevent accidents in the first place

As of 31 January 2021 there were 20.1 million registered motor vehicles according to Motor Vehicle Census, Australia. With that many of us zooting passed one another ANCAP safety ratings are a win-win for all road users.

You might also be interested in finding out more about car safety recalls and what they mean.

Tests, scores and ratings

In addition to new safety tests, ANCAP has also upped the maximum number of points across some of its four primary safety categories:

Category Number	Category Name	2018 – 2019	2020 – 2022	2023 – 2024
1️⃣	Adult occupant protection	38	38	40
2️⃣	Child occupant protection	49	49	49
3️⃣	Vulnerable road user protection	48	54	63
4️⃣	Safety assist	13	16	18

Cars are rated on a five star system within each of these four categories and each category has numerous test factors. Thanks to these ratings, anyone saving to buy a new car has better guidelines to make the ideal purchase. Regardless of whether you’re opting for a second hand car or new car these safety ratings can give you priceless data.

Check out this video from ANCAP on the advancements in car safety features testing:

Award winning car insurance from PD

Every day millions of Aussies get behind the wheel of their cars to do their daily commute. This highlights that none of us is alone on the road. Besides other drivers, we share the tar with pedestrians, cyclists and more.

In addition to choosing a safer car another safeguard you can put in place is car insurance. While car safety features have come a long way, accidents can and do still happen. With a car insurance policy, at least you won’t have to pay the full costs out of pocket.

Going with comprehensive car insurance will also help you cover the costs of weather damage, fire and theft (or attempted theft). Check out PD car insurance and click to get a quote below.