Volkswagen’s new ID.4 has performed impressively in the renowned European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) safety test. The all-electric sports utility vehicle, which is built on VW’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB), was awarded a maximum five stars.
The auditors gave the ID.4 top ratings on all criteria including the protection of adult occupants, children and vulnerable road users, as well as in terms of assistance systems.
The assessment of occupant protection for adults is based on factors that include frontal impact, lateral impact and whiplash tests. Based on these crash tests and the evaluation of measures to ensure that rescue and extrication are as rapid as possible, the ID.4 achieved 93 percent in relation to drivers and adult passengers. A result of 89 percent was achieved when it came to child passengers.
These ratings are based on three important considerations. Firstly, the protection provided by child restraint systems in the event of a frontal or lateral impact is examined. Secondly, the options in the vehicle for installing child seats of various sizes are assessed, and thirdly it looks at the equipment a vehicle offers for the transportation of children.
In addition to occupant protection in vehicles, Euro NCAP also examines how well automatic emergency braking systems (AEB) can protect vulnerable road users. This includes pedestrians and cyclists in the event of an impending collision. The score for pedestrian and cyclist protection was 76 percent.
The auditors equally attach great importance to other standard assistance systems. One of the positive things about Volkwagen’s ID.4 is that all equipment variants come with the Lane Assist lane departure warning system and Front Assist emergency braking assistant as standard.
The ID.4 also has a centre airbag for the front seats. This can help to reduce or, in the best case, prevent possible head contact between the driver and front passenger in the event of a side collision, for example.
Car2X is another piece of technology that every ID.4 in Germany has as standard onboard. It allows the vehicle to exchange information about local hazards with other vehicles and with traffic infrastructure, by means of the WLANp wireless standard. Euro NCAP presented the innovative Car2X hazard-warning function with the Advanced Award in recognition of its pioneering equipment.
As an optional extra, Volkswagen offers further assistance systems that can increase comfort within their respective system limits. With a score of 85 percent of the available points, the fully electric SUV from Volkswagen also put in an excellent performance in the Safety Assist category.
It’s great to see that Volkswagen are not only helping to lead the charge on driving clean electric cars, but are putting their drivers first when it comes to safety. A video of the NCAP test can be seen below:
