NCAP (New Car Assessment Program)

NCAP (New Car Assessment Program), the manufacturer-independent car safety performance assessment program, is considered to be one of the most influential programs to assess the safety of new vehicles. There are a variety of NCAP programs, differing partly in the sequence and the number of the tests carried out (e.g. Euro NCAP and US NCAP). NCAP publishes safety reports on new cars, and awards "star ratings" based on the performance of the vehicles in a variety of tests. The maximum number awarded is five stars.

Enhancements to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)
In July 2008, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced changes to its new NCAP for Model Year 2010 vehicles. For the first time, the presence of three crash avoidance technologies will be noted on the safety sticker – the Monroney Label - which has been mandated since 2007: Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). ESC will only be included on the Monroney Label until Model Year 2012, when ESC will be mandated in the US under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 126. Additionally, the requirements for the individual 5 star ratings for frontal crash, side impact and rollover have been increased, and these will be compiled in a new overall Vehicle Safety Score (VSC).

In December 2008, NHTSA announced a delay in the implementation of new NCAP safety test upgrades. Originally set for Model Year 2010, vehicle manufacturers now have time until Model Year 2011 before the new testing standards are applied to the 5 Star Safety Rating System. NHTSA granted this one year delay to provide consumers with an additional year to become familiar with the new rating system and for manufactures to prepare for the most significant changes to the rating program since its inception in 1979.