What Is ANCAP Rating?

Car Safety Features And Technologies

Since its establishment in 1993, the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has provided safety ratings for tens of thousands of different vehicles. Between zero to five stars, these cars are given ANCAP safety ratings for their capacity to prevent or minimise the consequences of a collision.

The more stars a car has, the better it did in ANCAP testing. As the rating years progress, a vehicle's evaluation requirements are more rigorous. In order to get the highest possible ANCAP safety rating of five stars, a car must pass all tests with the best possible score and be equipped with cutting-edge safety aid technology.

A car with five stars and the most recent rating year is recommended by the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). This safety rating explains that the more stars that your vehicle has, the safer it is to use. This article covers what you should know concerning ANCAP ratings. Read on to learn more.

Ratings Are Accessible

New cars joining the Australian and New Zealand markets are subjected to ANCAP crash testing at its site in Huntingwood, NSW. However, the organisation also considers collision data from affiliated organisations like Euro NCAP when determining its rating scheme.

ANCAP procures its own vehicles in order to reduce the need for customised vehicles. The first automobile in Australia to get a five-star rating was the Renault Laguna in 2001, and ratings have been preserved in a searchable online database since then.

What Are The Australian Design Rules (ADR)?

The Australian Design Rules (ADRs) are the Australian Government's mandated specifications for new cars. Safety, emissions, and anti-theft requirements are outlined in the ADRs for all new vehicles sold in Australia, from automobiles and motorbikes to buses and heavy trucks.

Each vehicle type has its own unique set of ADRs. Transporting people and products are governed by a different set of standards than driving a car, SUV, or even a light commercial vehicle (LCV).

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there safety concerns for vehicles without an ANCAP rating?

The testing of new passenger cars, SUVs, and light commercial vehicles entering the Australian and New Zealand markets is subject to the ANCAP safety rating program. These automobiles are chosen for testing based on a range of characteristics such as sales volume. An ANCAP safety rating covers more than 90% of all new cars sold.

ANCAP aims to announce new vehicle safety ratings as near as feasible to the time of a vehicle's market debut. Ratings may not be accessible for some time after a product goes on sale. The 'unrated' designation is given to a limited number of new car models.

When does ANCAP test and assess a car?

Many parameters are considered throughout the ANCAP testing procedure. The total amount of time it takes to conduct and publish ANCAP safety ratings varies depending on the model. ANCAP strives to make a rating accessible as soon as a new model is released in Australia.

How long do ANCAP safety ratings last?

Vehicle models assessed by ANCAP have a six-year expiration date on their date stamps. Each rating has a "TESTED" year date stamp next to it. It is possible for customers to compare different car models using the date stamp, which indicates the specifications against which the vehicle was tested.

Re-evaluation of the most recent rating criteria is possible when a new or considerably upgraded model is presented to the market. Before the six-year validity term ends, most models will be replaced by a new generation model, or you will provide improvements to the present model.

A model's rating expires, and the status of newly constructed units changes to 'unrated' if it isn't updated or re-assessed according to the most recent rating criteria of ANCAP during the six-year rating validity term. The ANCAPs rating is valid for six years from the date of the vehicle's manufacture.

ANCAP urges vehicle makers to keep their cars' safety features and technology up to date throughout their model life, especially if they are expected to stay on the market for six years or more. The latest "TESTED" date stamp and an ANCAP safety rating of 5 stars are the two criteria ANCAP suggests buyers seek when purchasing a car.

Is the ANCAP rating system ever updated?

It is rare for ANCAP to re-test facelifted vehicles from the same model series unless significant structural and specification improvements have been incorporated that might enhance the rating. Similarly, ANCAP may re-assess the vehicle and award a revised grade if safety measures are eliminated.

Does ANCAP apply to all vehicle types?

You may compare crash data from ANCAP studies with cars of comparable size and weight in order to determine how much protection is provided to occupants, pedestrians, and bicycles in the most frequent collisions (i.e., within the same vehicle category). If you want to compare the overall performance of several cars of different types, you must ensure that they are of comparable size and mass.

ANCAP's crash tests will include a frontal collision with a moving trolley (MPDB test) starting in 2020. This test will better represent the relative risk to smaller and larger vehicles and also allow ANCAP to assess 'Vehicle Compatibility,' or the threat that the tested vehicle poses to other cars when struck.

Will ANCAP safety ratings go beyond the current 5-star level?

For the time being, ANCAP will keep its 0–5-star rating range, with five stars retaining the highest possible safety rating for a vehicle. In order to ensure that vehicle safety continues to improve, ANCAP has made it more difficult for car manufacturers to acquire a 5-star rating by often revising its test standards.

Which of the cars with ANCAP certification is most secure?

Cars equipped with active collision avoidance technologies are evaluated for their ability to avoid or minimise the severity of a crash and the likelihood of severe injury or death to adults and children in a variety of common crash scenarios. ANCAP also evaluates how likely it is for a vehicle to avoid or minimise the severity of a collision through active collision prevention technologies.

Customers may compare car safety statistics across four major areas of evaluation, with 5-star rated vehicles giving a high and well-balanced level of performance. The best way to survive a vehicle collision is to have a strong construction, robust restraint systems, and active safety support technology.

ANCAP suggests that you choose a vehicle with the best possible safety rating and a "TESTED" date stamp no older than six years.

What is the difference between ANCAP and the used car safety rating?

Australia's and New Zealand's ANCAP safety ratings are released for new passengers, sports utility (SUV), and light commercial vehicles (LCV), using a grading system of 0 to 5 stars for each vehicle. ANCAP star ratings show how effectively a car protects its passengers and pedestrians in the event of a collision, as well as how well it may prevent or lessen the severity of a crash via the use of technology.

Researchers at Monash University's Accident Research Centre (MUARC) developed the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR). There is a significant difference between the new ratings and the UCSRs (used) because of the method employed to calculate them.

According to ANCAP, safety ratings are based on data gathered through the modelling of typical crashes and crash prevention scenarios in controlled labs and test tracks. In contrast, UCSRs are calculated by analysing data from actual impacts (police reports, etc.).

ANCAP safety ratings show a vehicle's degree of passenger and pedestrian protection. At the same time, UCSRs only provide a crash rating for the driver (to indicate cars that offer more safety to other road users in the event of an accident).

Who benefits from the UCSR?

A limited number of cars may benefit from UCSRs, and they are typically six years old or older. A large number of vehicles assessed by ANCAP had found their way into the used automobile market in Australia and New Zealand since 1993, when the first ANCAP safety ratings were issued.

In terms of vehicle types, the ANCAP and UCSR both cover the same ground. A vehicle with an ANCAP "TESTED" date stamp no older than six years is recommended by ANCAP as having the best possible safety grade.

Is ANCAP certification required?

No. ANCAP is a non-regulatory, non-government consumer information organisation dedicated to promoting the highest possible standards of automobile safety in Australia and New Zealand. For example, ANCAP operates in conjunction with the Australian Design Rules (ADR), which are determined by government regulation in Australia.

Purchasing A Vehicle

ANCAP safety ratings are now an essential factor when looking to buy a car. Comparing automobiles of comparable size and weight can be done by comparing their safety ratings. An automobile with the greatest star rating (five stars) and the most recent date stamp is always the safest option, according to ANCAP.

The goal of the ANCAP is to guarantee that consumers are driving the safest automobiles possible by promoting ongoing development by automakers. Look for the ANCAP date stamp if you're going to purchase an automobile. Each safety grade includes a date stamp next to it that defines the criterion the vehicle was tested on.

With a 5-star ANCAP rating, you'll also want to make sure you're covered by the correct auto insurance. When looking to buy a car, it is crucial to work with trustworthy dealers that understand ANCAP ratings and can recommend the best vehicle option for you.