ANCAP Adds Aspects Of Car Assessment, Features Must Work Even If Submerged In Water For 10 Minutes

JAKARTA - Australia's independent crash testing authority, ANCAP will begin an assessment of how the vehicle functions underwater.

ANCAP is Australia's independent crash testing agency, which assigns star ratings to new vehicles to help customers understand the safety level of new cars sold.

According to a Car Expert report, via The Drive, in 2023 ANCAP added a new level of difficulty for car tests if you want to get five stars by testing the vehicle for 10 minutes underwater.

When underwater, car manufacturers must demonstrate that vehicle doors can be opened, and without battery power the electric windows are expected to still operate so that passengers can get out of the vehicle.

If it is proven that the windows do not work when underwater, then the car provider must provide another method so that passengers can still get out of the car.

"While it's important to never intentionally put flood water into your vehicle, recent flood events again remind us that floods can take the lives of vehicles and their occupants unpredictably," said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg.

In addition to the underwater test, ANCAP also introduces a new aspect of the child detection system. The system will alert the driver or emergency services if a child is left in the car.

ANCAP says alerts can include visual or audible alerts via the infotainment system, honking the horn, app alerts on the driver's phone, or an 'eCall' to emergency services.

According to ANCAP, five-star vehicles must provide a high level of protection for their passengers.

"Starting in 2023 ANCAP will officially assess the Child Presence Detection System (CPD), and several vehicles in the Australian market already offer this feature," he said.