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Just like the IIHS in the U.S., the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) performs such tests for vehicles sold in Australia and New Zealand. The body will tighten its test procedures from 2023 and introduce a new underwater safety test.
Safety organizations around the world crash-test new vehicles to assess how safe they are in the case of an accident. But the Australians have bigger concerns about floodings, and so they will update the testing procedure with tests to demonstrate how easy it is for occupants to escape from a vehicle when it is submerged underwater. As far as we know, this is the first safety body that introduces such a test in their new car assessment program.
According to the Australian government, Australia is the lowest continent in the world, with an average elevation of only 330 meters (1,083 feet). Large swaths of land are below sea level and prone to flooding, which explains Australians’ concerns. Starting next year, ANCAP will encourage carmakers to ensure passengers can escape a vehicle even after being submerged underwater for several minutes.
According to New Zealand Autocar, ANCAP has developed a testing procedure to ensure that the car doors can be opened without battery power and the power windows remain functional for up to 10 minutes after submerging. This would be difficult, of course, so the agency is thinking of offering carmakers an easier route to assure passengers’ safety when the car is trapped in flood waters or a lake, river, or other water.
When the car manufacturer cannot assure safe operation of the windows after submerging, they need to provide a method by which the occupants can open or break the side window to exit the vehicle. This method can be via a window-breaking tool supplied with the car, a pyrotechnic device, or a mechanical system. The procedure needs to be accurately described in the vehicle’s operating manual.
The ANCAP testing procedures will also become stricter from 2023, making it harder for manufacturers to get the highest safety scores. Collision avoidance tests will gain prominence to help mitigate scenarios like cyclists crossing the path of a turning vehicle and cyclists approaching from behind when opening a vehicle door.
According to the Australian government, Australia is the lowest continent in the world, with an average elevation of only 330 meters (1,083 feet). Large swaths of land are below sea level and prone to flooding, which explains Australians’ concerns. Starting next year, ANCAP will encourage carmakers to ensure passengers can escape a vehicle even after being submerged underwater for several minutes.
According to New Zealand Autocar, ANCAP has developed a testing procedure to ensure that the car doors can be opened without battery power and the power windows remain functional for up to 10 minutes after submerging. This would be difficult, of course, so the agency is thinking of offering carmakers an easier route to assure passengers’ safety when the car is trapped in flood waters or a lake, river, or other water.
When the car manufacturer cannot assure safe operation of the windows after submerging, they need to provide a method by which the occupants can open or break the side window to exit the vehicle. This method can be via a window-breaking tool supplied with the car, a pyrotechnic device, or a mechanical system. The procedure needs to be accurately described in the vehicle’s operating manual.
The ANCAP testing procedures will also become stricter from 2023, making it harder for manufacturers to get the highest safety scores. Collision avoidance tests will gain prominence to help mitigate scenarios like cyclists crossing the path of a turning vehicle and cyclists approaching from behind when opening a vehicle door.
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