ANCAP testing locked in for another five years

Australia’s independent crash test body has secured its future for another five years with a new $6.64 million grant from the Federal government.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) will continue crash testing and assessing new models on the local market until at least 2023, it was confirmed on Tuesday.

“The work of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) is vital to improving the safety of vehicles on Australian roads and it is crucial we provide assistance at a Federal level to help it continue,” said Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack.

The announcement has been lauded by automotive stakeholders.

ANCAP has begun harmonising with Euro NCAP standards in Australia to ensure new vehicles are as safe here as anywhere else in the world. Its crash testing now assesses pedestrian and cyclist targets, along with child and adult procedures.

In future, ANCAP will also be key to legislating Australia’s autonomous driving framework, said chief executive James Goodwin.

“Continued emphasis to elevate the safety of new vehicles – as well as to reduce the overall age of the nation’s registered vehicle fleet – are critical to reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by serious crashes,” Goodwin said.

“All Australian road users will see the benefits of this contribution, with the new funding commitment announced today enabling ANCAP to further broaden its range of tests, and expand its advocacy and community education activities.”

Mercedes-Benz Australia corporate communications senior manager David McCarthy described the funding extension as a win for consumers.

“ANCAP’s goal is to achieve as many five stars as possible, and that means that can we use their argument and leverage it with our factory on specification,” he said.

“They are going to expand their testing, particularly with autonomous driving. This is useful because it focusses the legislative framework around what autonomous driving is going to be.”

ANCAP’s relationship with automotive marques in Australia hasn’t been without incident, but McCarthy argued the government investment – “not even a week’s worth of Luxury Car Tax income generated by new car sales” – was well worth the outlay.

“ANCAP do local testing and they’re engaging around the issues that are going to form an important component of vehicle safety,” McCarthy said.

“We’re not always going to agree with everything moving forward but they do engage and they do listen. At the end of the day the consumer wins and it’s a small amount of money to pay.”