C-NCAP marks 20th anniversary with launch of 2027 Protocol
On April 20, NCAP leaders, government authorities, industry, academia and the media gathered in Tianjin, China, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the China New Car Assessment Programme (C-NCAP).
Over the past two decades, C-NCAP has assessed more than 600 vehicle models from over 120 manufacturers and conducted nearly 2,000 real-vehicle crash tests. In doing so, it has built a comprehensive assessment framework spanning passive safety, active safety, child protection, pedestrian protection and intelligent assisted driving. Today, it serves both as a key reference for consumers and a benchmark for automotive research and development in China.
Attended by more than 500 participants, the anniversary event not only reflected on C-NCAP’s achievements but also set the direction for its future with the simultaneous release of the C-NCAP 2027 Edition Protocol.
A new phase for China’s safety assessment system
C-NCAP’s 2027 Edition Protocol signals a significant step forward, introducing a more holistic approach to vehicle safety built around three major advances.
First, it expands occupant protection by incorporating greater diversity. New test methodologies use Chinese anthropomorphic dummies alongside human biomechanical models to better represent variations in body type, gender and age. The large-angle seated frontal impact test is introduced for the first time which aims to uncover risk blind spots missed from traditional testing, while post-crash rescue capability evaluation has been added to extend the scope of passive safety into emergency response.
Second, the protocol strengthens protection for vulnerable road users. It includes braking-posture pedestrian legform impact tests, three-year-old child targets and three-wheeler AEB test targets. Notably, it debuts what is described as the world’s first nighttime two-wheeler test scenario, simulating rain, fog and oncoming headlight glare. A new “ghost probe” scenario, which simulates sudden crossings with green belt obstruction, has also been added to enhance coverage of all real-world situations.
Third, the protocol further embeds active safety into intelligent safety systems. A nationwide-first dual-track framework - “Basic Scenarios + Extended Scenarios” - is introduced, covering new scenarios like non-uniform target movement, dynamic occlusion and path crossing. In addition, local hazard alert tests have been added to simulate C-V2X applications including forward collision warnings and traffic signal alerts.
Together, these updates reflect a broader shift in automotive safety from a focus on individual vehicle performance to an integrated system encompassing people, vehicles, roads and the wider environment.
Strengthening global collaboration
The anniversary event also underscored the importance of international cooperation.
Representatives from Euro NCAP, Latin NCAP, ASEAN NCAP and other organisations participated in the International NCAP Technology Salon, engaging in discussions with C-NCAP’s technical experts on safety challenges and evolving assessment methodologies.
Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP, highlighted Europe’s progress in integrating active safety and real-world scenario testing while Latin NCAP Secretary General Alejandro Furas emphasised that increasing the availability of basic safety features remains a key task in Latin America.
Yahaya Bin Ahmad, Technical Director of ASEAN NCAP, shared updates on developments across the ASEAN region and Li Weijing, Deputy Director of the C-NCAP Technical Committee, outlined China’s rapid advancement in intelligent connectivity and new energy vehicles in the road traffic system.
Participants agreed that continued collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the Global NCAP community will be essential to meeting the goals of the UN’s Second Decade of Action for Road Safety and advance toward the global vision of zero road fatalities.
