Tesla has been promoting its Autopilot steering assistance system for years. However, he did not do so well in the new Euro NCAP testing.
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Driving assistants are an increasingly important part of cars today. In the case of Euro NCAP crash tests, they already speak significantly into the overall safety assessment of this model, although some closer testing has so far been missing in these tests. But now that is changing and Euro NCAP is starting to examine and evaluate driving assistants. The batches published this week were scored exclusively by representatives of luxury brands.
Out of ten evaluated cars, Audi Q8, BMW 3, Ford Kuga, Mercedes GLE, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008, Renault Clio, Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen Passat and Volvo V60, only three models achieved the highest verbal rating of “very good”. In all cases, they are representatives of luxury manufacturers, namely the Audi Q8, BMW 3 and Mercedes-Benz GLE.
In its test of assisted management systems, Euro NCAP focuses on two main areas, which it calls eligibility and back-up. The first is an assessment of the balance between the technical competence of the system and the degree of keeping the driver’s attention, while the second is an assessment of the vehicle’s safety net in critical situations. Specifically, the various functions of adaptive cruise control and lane keeping are evaluated.
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While Euro NCAP crash test scores are rated in stars, in this case the rating is verbal in four levels – very good, good, average and basic.
How the Euro NCAP imagines the functionality of the assistance systems was shown in the October batch of Audi Q8, BMW 3 and Mercedes-Benz GLE tests. According to the evaluators, they ideally combine a high level of driving assistance and control over the situation when needed, but at the same time keep the driver in the spotlight. Above all, however, they are a well-functioning backup system if the driver does not react to the danger.
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By contrast, the Renault Clio and Peugeot 2008 only achieved a “basic” rating. According to Euro NCAP, they lack the sophistication of more advanced systems and provide only a modest level of assistance. Neither Adaptive Cruise Control 2008 nor Clia was able to react to a stationary vehicle during the test, nor did they like the fact that their assistants would switch off when the driver did not respond for a long time with the steering wheel.
However, the Tesla Model 3, whose Autopilot manufacturer has been highlighting for years, did not score particularly well. The result was only a rating of “average,” the second lowest. Euro NCAP is already criticizing the very name Autopilot, which confusingly suggests that the system can fully control the vehicle, although this is not true. Due to the lack of a classic instrument panel, it does not show information about the functionality in the driver’s field of vision. Most importantly, Euro NCAP criticizes the fact that the system does not help the driver – if he wants to avoid an obstacle himself, the system shuts down, instead of helping to embrace the bait.
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However, adaptive cruise control can adapt to bends, junctions or roundabouts, and keeping in the lane will keep the vehicle in corner turns. The advantage according to Euro NCAP is the possibility of updating the vehicle software over the air, which allows you to easily correct any errors of electronic assistants and gradually upgrade them. As a result, Euro NCAP praises Tesla’s “back-up protection” category and, on the contrary, criticizes it for its “eligibility for support.”
According to Euro NCAP, the Volvo V60 turned out to be on the market for some time (specifically since 2018). According to the evaluators, more modern cars simply work better, so it was only “average”. Ford Kuga, Volkswagen Passat or Nissan Juke also achieved this, which according to testers proves that even mainstream cars can offer advanced assistance systems.
“The results of this round of tests show that driving assistance is improving rapidly and is easier to access, but until driver monitoring is significantly improved, the driver must always be held accountable.” comments on the results of Euro NCAP Secretary General Michiel van Ratingen.
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