Belgian safety organisation Euro NCAP has released its first set of results for HGV tractor unit tests for safety, writes Peter Brown.
It is the first time that HGVs have been tested specifically for safety, explained Euro NCAP’s director of strategic development Matthew Avery.
“This testing shows there is a big difference between the relative safety of current truck models,” he said.
“It’s worth noting the differences we’re seeing are down to manufacturers’ current safety strategies. That means these results provide a strong snapshot of the HGV market before Euro NCAP influences the safety of vehicles.”
Using a five-point star system (five equals good) truck are assessed on safe driving (occupant monitoring, driver engagement, vision and vehicle assistance), coach avoidance (ADAS performance in avoiding frontal, lane change, and low-speed manoeuvring collisions), and post crash safety (rescue information and ease of extrication during the ‘golden hour’).
Out of nine trucks assessed, Volvo’s FH Aero and FM models both earned a maximum five-star rating, while IVECO’s current S-WAY model emerged as the weakest performer with one star.
For more information click through to the Euro NCAP analysis.
