ANCAP awards first five-star safety score under new testing criteria

The Lexus RZ electric SUV recently became the first car in Australia to be achieve a five-star safety rating under the newer, stricter ANCAP 2023–2025 criteria.

To receive a five-star rating under the new criteria, vehicles must meet an 80 per cent threshold for adult occupancy protection and child occupant protection categories, and 70 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and safety assistance.

Previous ANCAP criteria only required a 60 per cent score for the vulnerable road user test.

Threshold increases for all other star rating levels within the vulnerable road user protection pillar have also been introduced.

For reference, the Lexus RZ scored 87 per cent for adult occupant protection, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, and 84 per cent for both vulnerable road user protection and safety assistance.

It also satisfied the cyclist anti-dooring requirements, demonstrating its ability to warn occupants of an approaching cyclist when exiting both the front and rear doors, and to prevent door opening if needed.

Vehicle submergence requirements for door and window opening were also met.

The RZ demonstrated good performance in each of the new lane support and autonomous emergency braking scenarios, including those with a stationary and braking motorcycle, and in intersection turning scenarios involving an oncoming motorcycle.

Updated ANCAP testing criteria focus:

• Vehicle structure placing a greater focus on vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility through an increased penalty of eight points (previously four points).
• Restraint design requiring improved performance of onboard restraint systems for front and rear seating positions through a reduced tolerance for chest injury.
• Motorcyclist detection to avoid collisions with motorcycles through autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and lane support functionality.
• Autonomous emergency braking that functions in head-on and intersection crossing scenarios.
• Cyclist protection with anti-dooring functionality, improved vehicle design to reduce cyclist head injury, and additional AEB scenarios.
• Child occupant and pedestrian protection systems that detect and notify the driver of a child inadvertently left inside a vehicle, and AEB systems that detect and react to child pedestrians when reversing.
• Rescue and extrication for vehicle submergence egress capability.
• Driver monitoring systems that check eyes for distraction and fatigue.