Assistance systems: new Euro NCAP tests promote BMW iX3

In the little big story of safety, there is now also a first time linked to Highway Assist, that is the assistance services on the highway. Euro Ncap, the independent body for continental safety, has decided to test what are in fact the precursors of autonomous driving, on which we have been working for a decade. Not surprisingly, Euro Ncap had already tested some assisted driving systems in 2018 and 2020, noting that some models “promised more than they could guarantee”, telling the public more automation than the vehicles were actually capable of. to offer. All the models tested this time, however, for the institution “offer a balance between Assistance Competence, the degree to which the system can help the driver, and Driver Engagement, the extent to which the driver feels he must maintain control over the car and pay attention”. In short, that’s good news.

HIGHWAY ASSIST SYSTEMS, WHAT THEY ARE

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To be even clearer: Highway Assist systems are those that help the driver to maintain a constant speed, a safe distance from the car in front and the vehicle in the middle of the lane, by combining Adaptive Cruise Control (Acc) with Lane Centering (LC). They are designed to assist the driver, not to take control of the car, and the expectation is that the driver always keeps his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road. Otherwise, after some time, various types of warnings and alarms are activated. The involvement of the driver and the type of support offered by the vehicle are therefore fundamental aspects, according to Euro Ncap, to evaluate the functionality of the system and in general to understand how much the brand promotes safe driving. Especially in light of the diffusion of these systems, which have become more and more exclusive mainstream and within everyone’s reach, as technological progress has made the models that come out of the factories more and more advanced, albeit with different degrees of sophistication and different price faces.

HIGHWAY ASSIST SYSTEMS, IX3 LEADER

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As for the tests, the best overall performance was achieved by the BMW iX3, classified as “very good”. The Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Cupra Formentor scored “good”, Polestar 2 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 less well, whose systems were rated as “moderate”, while those of the Toyota Yaris and Opel Mokka-e were classified as “entry”. The electric variant of the X3 range, in particular, convinced with a new set of sensors, which is offered as an option on the combustion engine versions. Polestar 2 received a moderate rating for limited service performance, and announced that it will carry out an over-the-air (Ota) update of the car’s software soon to allow Euro Ncap to evaluate the new version. Even the entry level systems, while offering at least two fewer functionalities than the more sophisticated ones, nevertheless provided the driver with a level of support deemed useful, and the fact that they are offered on cars that generate high volumes of sales for the body ” indicates the direction of travel for automated driving “.