The Volvo XC40 and Ford Focus have both earned five-star crash-test ratings from safety body Euro NCAP.
And the 97% adult occupant protection score achieved by the Volvo puts it among the top five cars tested by Euro NCAP in the last three years.
The crash testers were most impressed by the active safety systems which come as standard on both cars. Both the XC40 and Focus are fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), and both systems detect pedestrians and cyclists.
The Volvo also offers emergency lane-keeping (ELK) technology, keeping the car on its side of the road and hoping to prevent head-on collisions.
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Such figures have seen Volvo maintain an enviable safety record – all of its current model range have earned five-star safety ratings. The XC60 was named the overall best-performing large off-roader and the best overall performer in Euro NCAP’s 2017 Best in Class safety awards, and its larger sister the XC90 received the same accolade in 2015.
Welcoming the results, Ford’s Focus vehicle line director Helmut Reder argues that driving hasn’t become any less demanding since drivers first took their test and they have become more accustomed to pressure.
“Technologies such as Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection will reduce the demand on drivers, helping them focus their attention and be more confident at the wheel,” he says.
Euro NCAP secretary general Michiel van Ratingen is delighted that manufacturers, both mainstream and premium, appear to be responding to the stricter safety requirements introduced for this year by fitting the latest active safety technologies.
“Technologies like AEB and ELK deliver immediate safety benefits but they are also enabling technologies for the autonomous vehicles of the future,” van Ratingen says.
“Euro NCAP’s roadmap sets a series of demanding tests for each of these ‘milestone’ technologies seeking to ensure that their performance saves lives today as well as tomorrow.”
