Euro NCAP's 2026 overhaul: What's changing for car safety?
Big news for anyone who drives or cares about road safety: Euro NCAP is rolling out its biggest update in years for crash testing and car safety ratings, starting 2026.
The new rules focus on real-life situations and tougher standards across four areas—safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection, and what happens after a crash.
What's actually new?
Testing is getting more realistic—now including scenarios like avoiding pedestrians, cyclists, and two-wheelers in real-world scenarios.
Car tech like emergency braking and lane support will be scored more strictly, with extra points for driver-monitoring systems that track attention.
Crash tests will also factor in different body sizes using both physical dummies and virtual models.
Why does this matter to you?
These stricter rules mean future cars should be safer for everyone—not just drivers but cyclists and pedestrians too.
Automakers will need to step up their game on rescue access, emergency calls, and electric vehicle battery safety.
In short: better tech, smarter cars, safer roads for all of us.