The first ever consumer crash test programme of some of the top selling cars in Latin America has shown high risk of life threatening injuries.
The frontal impact tests carried out at 64kph reveal that poor structural integrity and the absence of airbags are putting the lives of Latin American motorists at risk, according to results from the latest phase of testing published in Sao Paulo on 24 November 2011.
The vehicles tested by the Latin New Car Assessment Programme (Latin NCAP) show that today’s best selling cars in Latin America are providing levels of safety twenty years behind the ‘five star’ standards now common in Europe and North America. Unfortunately in Latin America ‘one star’ cars still dominate the market.
Models newly tested in the second phase are: Chevrolet Celta, Chevrolet Corsa Classic, Chevrolet Cruze LT, Fiat Novo Uno Evo, Ford Focus Hatchback, Ford KA Fly Viral, Nissan March, and Nissan Tiida Hatchback. One star cars are a feature of the 2011 crash test results table >
Fiat Uno
Latin NCAP is urging governments, manufacturers, and consumers across Latin America to give much higher priority to car safety. In particular, Latin NCAP strongly advises all new car buyers to only choose vehicles equipped with an airbag. Latin NCAP also recommends that governments across the region make it a mandatory requirement for all passenger cars to be able to pass the UN’s most important international safety standards and encourages manufacturers to take the same initiative on a voluntary basis.
Latin NCAP is a joint initiative of the FIA Foundation, the Federation Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA), the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP), the Gonzalo Rodriguez Memorial Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank and International Consumer Research & Testing (ICRT).
Carlos Macaya, Chairman of the Latin NCAP Steering Committee and of the FIA Foundation said:
“The results released today are very disappointing. But I’m sure that the days of ‘one star’ cars in the Latin America’s car showrooms are numbered. Competition among the car makers will soon generate progress towards the region's first ‘five star’ cars. The manufacturers are already actively co-operating with Latin NCAP and requesting to have their latest products independently tested. Some Governments in the region are also taking action to make airbags and ABS compulsory. Better regulation and better consumer information will help to build the market for safety Latin America so urgently needs. Safer cars can contribute significantly to the UN Decade of Action for road safety as we strive to cut by half the number of people dying unnecessarily on our region’s roads.”
Ford Ka
Max Mosley, Chairman of Global NCAP said:
“We are witnessing an unprecedented growth in automobile use in emerging markets like Brazil, China and India. Yet it is precisely in these countries where we face a growing death toll on the road. The latest results of the Latin NCAP reveal that South America’s most popular cars are still about twenty years behind the levels of safety enjoyed in Europe and North America. This cannot be acceptable. To meet the goals of the Decade of Action for Road Safety, we want to see the UN’s global crash test standards applied to all new cars across the world. And we want consumers to be aware of the life and death choices they make when buying a new car. That is what Latin NCAP is now doing for motorists and their families in South America.”
Some models tested by Latin NCAP have shown that higher levels of vehicle safety can be achieved, and that car manufacturers are responding positively to the programme. The tests also highlight the importance of using child seats.
The Latin NCAP tests have been carried out in two phases since 2010. Overall, the Programme has now tested seven out of the top ten best selling cars in the region. The cars selected for testing by Latin NCAP have been the most basic and most popular versions of the model available (without airbags as standard). This partly explains the disappointing set of ‘one star’ results.
Chevrolet Cruze
Airbags reduce risk of fatal and serious injury
The benefits of airbags are clearly shown by the Latin NCAP results in both phase one and two. In co-operation with the manufactures, the Programme was able test an additional vehicle equipped with an airbag alongside the basic version chosen without an airbag. The back to back comparisons show that cars fitted with airbags can achieve three stars and offer significantly reduced risk of fatal and serious injuries.
In Latin America, where the UN regulatory standards are absent, the manufacturers still regard airbags as optional rather than a standard safety requirement. Fortunately in Argentina and Brazil legislation has recently been passed that will require the mandatory use of airbags by 2014.
Body shell integrity needs to be improved
Fitting airbags, although very important, is not enough. The Latin NCAP tests show weaknesses in the structural performance of some of the region’s most popular cars. Body shell integrity is critical to protect passengers from being injured even if an airbag is fitted. Car manufacturers have developed ‘crumple zone’ systems which enable car occupants to be protected in a survival space as other parts of the vehicle absorb the energy loads unleashed in a crash. A stable body shell can also help to extract passengers in need of post-crash rescue and care. It is, therefore, disappointing that the Latin NCAP tests reveal a number of models with body shells that fail to remain stable. This failing would be less likely to occur in models that meet the UN frontal impact test standard.
Ford Focus
In both phases of the Latin NCAP some vehicles have been tested that achieve much better levels of safety, similar to the performance achieved in North America and Europe. These are more expensive models but in Europe even the least expensive cars are nowadays equipped with airbags, offer better structural safety and a raft of other important safety features. This shows that the major vehicle manufacturers all know exactly how to make affordable vehicles that meet the crash test standards of the UN.
UN Decade of Action 2011-2020
This is especially important now that the UN has declared a Decade of Action for Road Safety with the aim to cut by 50% the forecast level of road deaths by 2020. The Global Plan for the Decade recommends that UN Member States apply global crash test standards and supports the creation of regional new car assessment programmes such as Latin NCAP. According to the World Health Organization, the Latin America and Caribbean region has the highest per capita rate of road traffic fatalities in the world.
Child restraint systems vital to protect young lives
The Latin NCAP tests also show the importance of using child restraint systems (CRS), publishing a separate star rating for child protection. In the frontal impact barrier tests, dummies representing 1½ and 3 year old children are placed in the rear of the car in the type of child restraint, recommended by the car manufacturer. The score depends on the child seat dynamic performance in front impact tests but also on the fitting instructions for the child restraints, airbag warning labels, and the car’s ability to accommodate the child restraints safely. The latter is very important as experience shows that, even if parents use a child seat, without proper instructions on the seat and car the chances are high that the seat will be incorrectly used.
The Chevrolet Cruze is the first car to be tested with an ISOFIX CRS in Latin NCAP. It showed good results. Latin NCAP recommends that all governments in the region should allow and promote ISOFIX use according to the relevant UN standards.
Latin NCAP believes that car manufacturers are responsible for both adult and child occupants. The tests have shown that there is significant room for improvement.
The Latin NCAP test results highlight the importance of co-operation between all stakeholders. Governments should mandate CRS use and adopt the relevant United Nations regulations. Child seat manufacturers must bring better products on the market for affordable prices. Car makers must take full responsibility for child safety and make sure that all occupants are equally well protected, whether it is an adult or a child. Above all, parents must understand the importance of protecting their children in cars, use child seats and make sure these are correctly installed.
Latin NCAP tests demonstrate the great potential that exists to improve levels of occupant safety of new cars across Latin America. At present too many of the region’s top selling cars provide a safety performance that fails to meet the minimum standards of UN vehicle regulations. The ‘one star’ car market that now prevails in Latin America is performing well below the capabilities of the automotive industry. Latin NCAP believes that consumers in Latin America deserve better than this and look forward to a Decade of Action that will transform the safety of vehicles on the region’s roads.
Click here for photos and videos of the Latin NCAP crash tests >