Auto group says crash tests must catch up with new tech

WASHINGTON — An industry group representing leading automakers is urging the federal government to update crash test ratings to include modern safety technologies for the first time since 2011, the group said Tuesday.

The New Car Assessment Program evaluates the safety of new vehicles and provides public ratings for consumers. Many have argued that the program has become less effective as the industry has outpaced regulators in safety technology and become close to meaningless for consumers, with the majority of 2020 model vehicles receiving 5-star ratings and the rest receiving 4 stars.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents Ford, General Motors and other automakers selling vehicles in the U.S., recommends that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration include technology now commonly included in new vehicles in those tests.

Forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings and assistance technology for staying within lanes, and automatic high beam headlamps should all be evaluated by regulators, the group said.

“We are moving from not only just a focus on crashworthiness, but a focus on crash avoidance, and it’s important that the NCAP program do the same,” said John Bozzella, chief executive officer of the alliance.

The traffic safety agency has said it plans to update the program to include similar technology and announced earlier this year, shortly before President Joe Biden took office, that it was seeking public comment on the proposed changes.

The safety agency did not immediately return a request for comment on the alliance’s recommendations.

The group’s push for more advanced technological assessments comes alongside growing calls for the program to better take into account vehicles’ safety for pedestrians as well as occupants.

Last year, the Government Accountability Office noted that pedestrian deaths had grown by 43% between 2008 and 2018.