Global NCAP Holds Largest Ever Meeting Of NCAPs In Malaysia
The largest ever gathering of New Car Assessment Programmes has been held in Melaka, Malaysia on May 23-24. The Global NCAP Annual Meeting brought together all NCAPs active worldwide to share experience in promoting consumer information about automobile crash avoidance and protection. The meeting featured significant commitments to vehicle safety in the UN Decade of Action (2011-2020) including the first crash demonstration of the ASEAN NCAP, the launch of a new testing facility in Malaysia and government action on vehicle crash test standards.
Global NCAP also adopted the ‘Melaka Declaration’ endorsing the vehicle safety aspects of the Global Plan for the Decade launched by the UN last year. These include the universal application of the UN’s most important vehicle safety regulations and the creation of NCAPs in all world regions. This was supported recently in a debate on road safety held in April by the UN General Assembly. Global NCAP’s Chairman Max Mosley told the meeting that “here in Melaka, we are turning the UN Assembly’s words into action, which is what the Decade should be all about”
Hosted by the Malaysian Institute for Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the Malaysian Automobile Association (AAM), the Annual Meeting was attended by over 450 delegates and held in conjunction with the 2012 South Asia Auto Safety Week
The Melaka meeting also featured a ‘crash test world tour’ chaired by Ronald Medford, Deputy Administrator of NHTSA. NCAPs from the ASEAN, Australia, China, Europe, Latin America, Korea, Japan and the USA (including both NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) gave an update on their current activities. An overview of consumer attitudes to vehicle safety in Australia, Europe and the USA, and similar recent surveys undertaken in the rapidly motorising regions, were also presented in a session chaired by Guido Adriaenssens, CEO of International Consumer Research and Testing.
A highlight of the meeting was the official opening of the MIROS PC3 crash laboratory. The Institute’s Director General Dr Wong Shaw Woon, explained that; “With assistance from Global NCAP and the FIA Foundation, MIROS has been able to build a strong platform to develop an independent consumer-based assessment programme for vehicle safety in the ASEAN Region”. On behalf of the AAM, the club’s Vice Chairman, Wan Zahruddin Wan Ahmad, expressed the hope that; “As the ASEAN NCAP comes into effect today, this regional and global effort will make a significant contribution towards reducing road accident fatalities”.
Further strengthening the country’s road safety leadership role, the Malaysian Government has also decided to apply the UN’s regulation for frontal impact to all new passenger cars. This is in line with the recommendations on vehicle safety included in the Decade’s Global Plan which were featured in a seminar on the Decade chaired by Lauchlan McIntosh of ANCAP and introduced by David Ward, Director General of the FIA Foundation. The Decade was given a regional perspective by Rebecca Huang, Economic Affairs Officer of the UNESCAP who warned that 50% of global road fatalities occurred in Asia. And the important role of the safety standards promoted by the UN’s Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (UNECE WP29) was emphasized by Christopher Bonanti, NHTSA’s Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
Global NCAP’s Technical Director, Alejandro Furas outlined its recommended ‘top six’ safety WP29′s regulations which all consumers should demand when buying a new car. These standards include requirements regarding seat belts and their anchorages, front and side impact tests, electronic stability control and pedestrian protection. Global NCAP also strongly recommends always choosing a ‘five star’ NCAP rated car whenever possible. Consistent with this proposal David Jenkins, Vice President for Safety & Security at BHP Billiton, outlined to the seminar his company’s recently adopted fleet purchasing policy only to buy five star vehicles.
The potential of crash avoidance systems such as ESC and ABS in motorcycles was described by Dr Wolfgang Hiller, President of Chassis Control Systems for Bosch. Child safety issues both in cars and school buses were described by Nani Rodriguez, President of the Gonzalo Rodriguez Foundation. Klaus Kompass, Vice President for Safety of BMW (representing FISITA) gave a perspective from the car makers and stressed the benefits of harmonisation of test procedures. Finally Anders Lie of the Swedish Transport Administration outlined Vision Zero which is increasingly recognised as a key concept among road safety policymakers.
The Annual Meeting concluded with live VIP demonstrations of the anti-skid device electronic stability control and anti-lock braking systems in motor bikes organised by Robert Bosch GmbH. HRH Prince Michael of Kent, and Global NCAP’s Chairman Max Mosley agreed to ride as passengers in a car forced to undertake a swerve manoeuvre with ESC both switched on and off. After the test, Max Mosley commented on the “remarkable stability of the car with the system on” and called for “this remarkable life-saving technology to be made standard as soon as possible on all new cars across the world”.
Whilst in Melaka Global NCAP’s Board of Trustees approved its annual financial statement and accounts and held a meeting of its Advisory Council (attended by its Associate Members and Observers, consisting of recognised NCAPs worldwide). Global NCAP also agreed to hold its next Annual Meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea in conjunction with the 23rd Enhanced Safety of Vehicles Conference 27-30 May 2013.
YOUTUBE
