Why ANCAP crash-test ratings make no sense

Australia’s criteria for judging the safety of new cars has become misleading, as safer cars are marked down for technical reasons.

Australia’s crash-test rating system has descended into confusion.

The Jeep Compass has been awarded a five-star crash rating while some versions of the Kia Stinger get three stars, even though the Stinger performed better in overseas crash tests.

To add to the confusion, the Compass would not have received five stars if it were tested in a fortnight’s time.

A Kia Stinger hits the wall in EuroNCAP testing earlier this year. Picture: Supplied

The anomalies flow from local testing authority ANCAP “transitioning” to European standards for its crash test ratings.

As of next year’s testing regime vehicles without autonomous emergency braking or lane-departure warning won’t be eligible for a five-star rating.

The Compass tested here didn’t have the technology, which can automatically slam on the brakes to avoid or reduce a nose-to-tail accident.

Base versions of the Kia Stinger was awarded only three stars earlier this month for lacking those same features. Base on Kia Australia's quick response to safety criticisms, News Corp expects there’s a running change to fit AEB and lane-departure warnings across the line-up, a move which should life the Stinger to five-stars on all versions..

The two-star gulf in the scores is because the Compass was tested locally and the Kia wasn’t.

Without a local test, ANCAP applied the stricter European rules to the Kia, which meant it was marked down for the lack of AEB and lane-departure.

AEB typically uses sensors and stereo camera to auto-brake. Picture: Supplied.

The Jeep was meanwhile assessed against the less stringent Australian requirements which don’t yet mandate safety assist technology.

Australia adopts European protocols on January 1.

Adding to the theatre is the fact the Kia outscored the Jeep in three of the four key assessment criteria for the European test, including adult occupant protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist tech (euro-spec versions of both vehicles have the technology as standard). The Compass had an edge in child occupant protection. Both are rated as five-star cars in that market.

ANCAP spokeswoman Rhianne Robson points out it isn’t the first time the ANCAP and EuroNCAP results have differed during the Australian car industry’s three-year transition phase to the new standards — and the decision where to test a vehicle comes down to the car companies.

“Every company has had the option of having their cars tested locally,” Robson notes, “and some have chosen to provide the European data and be assessed against that.”

AEB usually includes a visual and audible warning for the driver to brake before intervening. Picture: Supplied

Fiat Chrysler Australia spokeswoman Lucy McLellan says the Compass was meant to be tested earlier this year but demand overseas saw Australian deliveries pushed back.

“The Compass is built in a factory dedicated to right-hand drive versions and then specified for Australia,” she notes. “Euro crash tests are generally for left-hand drive versions with their own specification. We chose to have a local test.”

Jeep announced today it will make AEB optional across all Compass models.

Fiat Chrysler Australia chief executive Steve Zanlunghi says: “We acknowledge the need to continually evolve our safety and packaging offerings to ensure we are aligned with the highest industry standards.”

News Corp expects the software to cost less than $1000 on the Compass Sport and Longitude versions. It was already bundled with other comfort and convenience items for $2450 in the Limited and Trailhawk.

Safety software and a solid chassis earned the LDV D90 a high five star rating. Picture: Supplies

ANCAP’s last round of testing for the year saw the Compass score 35.93 points out of a possible 37. The LDV D90 large SUV also earned a five-star ranking with 35.05 points — and it comes with standard AEB, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot and lane-departure warning across the line-up, so it would still be a five-star car across the range if it was tested next year — in Australia or Europe.