“Every Euro NCAP safety star represents a manufacturer going above and beyond”
17 DECEMBER 2024
This year, the Euro NCAP safety assessment featured truck tests for the first time, after many years of focusing on passenger cars. Matthew Avery, Euro NCAP’s Director of Strategic Development, helps guide us through Scania trucks’ ratings.
In its safety assessments, Euro NCAP gave Scania’s G-series cab a four-star rating and the City Safety Award for the visibility afforded drivers of fellow road-users in urban environments; the R-series cab earned three stars. But what do these ratings mean?
First, an important bit of context. Matthew Avery is clear that Scania, along with some other truck manufacturers, are already far surpassing minimum safety standards.
“Bear in mind that the current, second edition of the European General Safety Regulations (GSR2) is the lowest common denominator of safety, to accommodate all manufacturers,” he says. “If we were testing a pure GSR2 car, truck or van, it would achieve zero stars. We’re not giving awards for vehicles that only meet the minimum safety regulations.
“Every single star represents a manufacturer going above and beyond what’s required. We're celebrating the fact that they are making technology available to the end-user which could save their life.”
Scania's ratings
The G-series:
In Euro NCAP’s judgement, this truck is a “safe choice” and “a solid performer with a balanced approach across Safe Driving and Collision Avoidance”. The vision fundamentals and the lower cab mounting height were regarded as plus points, while its Collision Avoidance performance was seen to be good in most areas.
There was also praise for G-series cab’s good vision and Autonomous Emergency Braking and Vulnerable Road User systems (AEB VRU), which specifically look out for and react to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. These aspects earned the G-series Euro NCAP’s City Safety Award.
Safe Driving: 71%
Crash Avoidance: 62%
Post-crash safety: 80%
The R-series:
Like the G-series, the three-star rating given to the R-series cab also highlighted the vehicle’s “balanced approach across Safe Driving and Collision Avoidance”. The R-series was felt to be a good option for highway operations.
The positives include the deep windows with a low belt line improving driver vision, and the attention assist system. The AEB system was praised for its ability avoid other vehicles, especially frontal collisions, while the availability of a lane support system was another plus.
Safe Driving: 64%
Crash Avoidance: 62%
Post-crash safety: 80%
Initial narrow test categories to be expanded
The initial focus of Euro NCAP’s truck safety tests was limited to articulated heavy goods vehicles, and not the rigid tractors more commonly driven in Scandinavia. Matthew Avery puts this down to ‘artics’ being the most common type across Europe, but resource and cost issues also played a part.
“It takes us about five weeks to test each truck and we have only a certain amount of members. The vast majority of these trucks have been sponsored by the members and it costs well over 100,000 euros to test every truck,” he explains.
“But we’re encouraging manufacturers to sponsor vehicles, and there are plans to expand the categories every six months.”
Similarly, Avery says the lack of crash tests in the assessment is down to the long lead time for making the required structural changes to cabs and chassis. Euro NCAP has set a target of introducing this element by 2030, though Scania is among those pushing for crash tests to be introduced earlier, something which Avery says is definitely up for discussion. This year’s test focused more on sensors, something he describes as being widespread in the industry and relatively easy for manufacturers to update and improve.
Praise for Scania’s performance
Ultimately, Matthew Avery hopes this new category will act as a catalyst for safety in the heavy truck industry, and that Scania continues its great engagement.
“I want to say to Scania: well done! You offer one of only two four-star trucks, and the only one with our City Safe rating. I don’t think a five-star rating is beyond reach since many of the fundamentals are already there like good vision and the right sensors, making it easier than building from scratch. Euro NCAP look forward to seeing Scania offering even higher levels of safety with a five-star vehicle in the very near future.”
