Euro NCAP Advanced: Next-gen car safety features to be rated

Euro NCAP, Europe's best-known independent crash-testing organisation, has announced a new reward system for high-tech safety technologies, the likes of which we're constantly yammering about on Car Tech.

Alongside the standard star ratings for adult, child and pedestrian protection, Euro NCAP will now award stars for extra features such as lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, attention assist, autonomous braking and emergency call (most of which can be seen in action in our Volvo XC60 video review).

By highlighting and rewarding safety features that are typically only fitted to luxury vehicles, Euro NCAP hopes to provide an incentive to manufacturers to fit these safety devices across their entire model range, or at least provide them as an option.

Most of these technologies are relatively new, so there are no accepted standards to assess them. Euro NCAP has developed its own methodology to rate their potential safety benefits.

Ratings will be based on the assessment of scientific evidence presented by the vehicle manufacturer. An independent panel of experts will look at the extent of the safety problem which the technology addresses, analyse the way in which the technology has been developed, tested and validated, then award a suitable rating.

It's about time if you ask us. It could be argued that some of these technologies -- autonomous braking, for example -- contribute more to car safety than putting on your seatbelt. Not that you shouldn't bother doing that.

Manufacturers will begin receiving their Euro NCAP Advanced ratings from October.