More Safety Progress In Brazilian Made New Models

The latest crash test results released by Latin NCAP in November 2012, revealed that the safety levels of some popular cars sold in the region are still twenty years behind industrialized countries and below global standards. However, there has been some progress with more cars achieving a four star safety rating for adult occupant protection and two manufacturers having made airbags standard in the models tested.Latin NCAP is now releasing the test results of the recently introduced Ford ECOSPORT, produced in Brazil and the Hyundai HB20, also produced in Brazil.

The Ford ECOSPORT scored 4 out of 5 stars in adult occupant protection and 3 out of 5 stars in Child occupant protection. Ford recommended to use ISOFIX Child Restraint Systems (CRS) that demonstrated once more in our tests the benefits of this system, in dynamic performance even when some readings in the child occupants did not show optimal values. This explains the 3 star score versus 4 stars achieved by Ford with the Fiesta in 2012.

The Hyundai HB20 hatchback scored 3 out of 5 stars in adult occupant safety and 1 out of 5 stars in child occupant protection. The HB20 showed a stable structure during the test, which is desirable. However its restraint systems could not prevent that dummy loads recorded raise just above limits in some cases. These readings made the HB20 just missing a 4 star result. The Child occupant safety should be improved, one of the CRS broke due to high loads in the car seat belt that was keeping the CRS in place. The 3 year old dummy contacted the front seat backrest. Also the 1,5 year dummy seated rearward facing was exposed to high decelerations. Both situations mainly explain the low score. Latin NCAP looks forward to see improvement from Hyundai in this model soon in time.

To achieve good occupant protection a car should meet two conditions. On one side the structure should not start to collapse, still offering survival space during the crash test. On the other side it is not all about presenting a stable structure when the restraint systems (airbag, seatbelts, pretensioners, etc) cannot supply proper protection to high decelerations. A good protection is achieved by cars that can balance a stable structural behaviour and restraints systems that protect properly the vehicle’s occupants.

Phase 3 concludes leaving clear evidence that safer cars can be built in the Latin American and the Caribbean region and at affordable prices in some cases. Latin NCAP expects to cooperate as much as possible with consumers, governments and manufacturers to bring safer and affordable cars to the region in the short term.

With Phase 3 completed Latin NCAP has now tested 28 models including most of the region’s best selling cars. A summary of all these results are included with this press release.

About Latin NCAP

The Latin New Car Assessment Programme (Latin NCAP) was launched in 2010 as a three year pilot project to explore the potential contribution that a regional system of independent crashworthiness and safety rating can make to road safety in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). Latin NCAP replicates similar programmes that have developed over the last thirty years in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, which have proved to be very effective in improving the safety of motor vehicles.

Latin NCAP contributes to the vehicle safety pillar of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020: http://www.who.int/roadsafety/decade_of_action/plan/en/index.html

The pilot project has been managed by a partnership consisting of the FIA, FIA Foundation, Fundación Gonzalo Rodríguez, Global NCAP and ICRT, counting with the support of the IADB. Since 2010, Latin NCAP has carried out three phases of crashworthiness testing and assessment of most of the top selling models available on the major markets of the LAC.

Latin NCAP’s pilot project has been able to demonstrate that the programme can successfully stimulate the awareness of the public, governments and manufacturers to give more attention to vehicle safety issues.

Further information: www.latinncap.com
Media Contact:
Carolina Pereira
comunicacion@latinncap.com
+598 98 268802