HEAVY VEHICLES TEST AND
ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL
Version 2.0

Euro NCAP © January 2015
EUROPEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME

Copyright © 2015 Euro NCAP - This work is the intellectual property of Euro NCAP. Permission is granted forthis material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 4
2. PRINCIPLES....................................................................................................................... 43. APPLICATION AND AMENDMENT OF PROTOCOLS ...................................................... 5
3.1. Vehicle Specification, Selection, Testing & Retesting (VSSTR) Protocol .................................. 5
3.1.1. Base Safety Equipment ............................................................................................................... 5
3.1.2. Test Variant ................................................................................................................................. 53.2. Euro NCAP Offset Deformable Impact Testing Protocol .............................................................. 6
3.2.1. Child Dummy Positioning ............................................................................................................ 63.3. Euro NCAP Full Width Frontal Impact Testing Protocol .............................................................. 63.3.1. Rear Seat Dummy Positioning .................................................................................................... 63.4. Euro NCAP Side Impact Testing Protocol ..................................................................................... 63.4.1. Child Dummy Positioning ............................................................................................................ 63.5. Euro NCAP Rear Whiplash Test Protocol ...................................................................................... 63.5.1. Dynamic Testing ......................................................................................................................... 63.5.2. Head Restraint Geometry ........................................................................................................... 63.6. Pedestrian Test Protocol (version 8.1 and later) ........................................................................... 6

4. SCORING AND OVERALL RATING .................................................................................. 74.1. Euro NCAP Assessment Protocol – AOP ...................................................................................... 7
4.1.1. Whiplash Scoring ........................................................................................................................ 7
4.2. Euro NCAP Assessment Protocol – COP ...................................................................................... 7
4.3. Euro NCAP Assessment Protocol – SA ......................................................................................... 7

© 2009-2015 European New Car Assessment Programme

Heavy Vehicles Test and Assessment
Protocol • Version 2.0

HEAVY VEHICLES TEST AND ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL

1. INTRODUCTION
In 2011, Euro NCAP published its first protocol for the assessment of ‘heavy vehicles’. The
protocol reflected concerns that testing large, heavy vehicles in the same way as mainstream
passenger cars would lead to designs which were very stiff, exacerbating the aggressivity ofsuch vehicles in real-world accidents. In particular, a frontal impact speed of 64km/h would, it
was argued, force manufacturers to make their vehicles stiffer. There was also recognition thatsome test procedures had not been developed for use on large vehicles, whose shape andconstruction was quite different from regular cars.
Accordingly, the protocol released in 2011 highlighted the ways in which the testing of heavy
vehicles (and the protocol was based on passenger-carrying vans derived from commercialvariants) should differ from the established protocols used for other vehicles. The frontal impact
test speed was lowered to 56km/h to allay fears of increased aggressivity, and other protocols
were adapted to make them more suitable. The modified protocols were for use only withvehicles of maximum mass up to 3500kg, as is this update. Euro NCAP’s protocols may beirrelevant or inappropriate for masses greater than 3500kg and there is no current intention toassess such vehicles.
In 2015, Euro NCAP will add a full-width rigid wall frontal impact test to its assessment. In
conjunction with the offset deformable barrier test, this should ensure that manufacturers haveto find ways to provide good occupant protection without making their vehicles exceedingly stiff.
Therefore, it is expected that the combination of frontal tests will address the concerns
previously espoused that heavy vehicles will also become stiff vehicles. This version of theprotocol updates the references to ‘mainstream’ protocols and the changes that are needed tomake them appropriate to vans.
In 2016, Euro NCAP also introduces a new ‘dual-rating’ scheme. A base rating is given for theperformance of the vehicle with standard equipment and a second rating may be given for theperformance with certain other, optional items of safety equipment. This scheme addresses
another concern of earlier versions of this protocol; that vehicles in the ‘Business and Family
Vans’ category are more poorly equipped than those in other segments and have longer lifecycles, making it more difficult to update their specifications. With the advent of the dual rating,‘Business and Family Vans’ can be treated in the same way as other vehicles.

2. PRINCIPLESA vehicle type may fall within the scope of this protocol if there exists within the model range atleast one variant meeting all of the following criteria:M1 category.

Maximum Mass (Gross Vehicle Weight) > 2500kg and <3500kg.

8 or 9 seats, including the driver’s seat.

Derived from commercial vehicle.

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Heavy Vehicles Test and Assessment
Protocol • Version 2.0© 2009-2015 European New Car Assessment ProgrammeEuro NCAP does not intend to assess vehicles intended primarily for commercial use or thosewhere the majority of variants have a gross vehicle weight greater than 3500kg, even if thecriteria set out above are met. In such cases, the manufacturer should discuss with theprogramme manager whether the application of this protocol is appropriate.
The application of this definition and the way in which the test variant is identified is discussed
in more detail in paragraph 3.1.

3. APPLICATION AND AMENDMENT OF PROTOCOLSFor testing vehicles which fall within the scope of this protocol, the amendments andinterpretations of the following paragraphs shall be applied. In cases where no specificreference to a test protocol is given, testing is the same as for other vehicle categories and theextant version of the relevant protocol should be used.
Note: The use of the alternative font indicates text taken from the original protocol
concerned. Paragraph references contained in such text refer to the numbering system of that
protocol.

3.1. Vehicle Specification, Selection, Testing & Retesting (VSSTR) Protocol
3.1.1. Base Safety Equipment
When identifying the Basic Level Safety specification, the fitment of equipment to the followingvariants in the model range is considered:
Item of Safety Equipment
Frontal airbags

Seatbelt Reminder(rear SBR not applicable to N1)

Criteria in order to be included in Base
Safety RatingStandard on M1 (up to 3500kg) and at least
optional on N1
excluding chassis cab variantsof both categories

Standard on M1 only(up to 3500kg)

All other safety equipment

Table 1 Variants.

3.1.2. Test Variant3.1.2.1. The manufacturer shall identify the M1 variant (excluding chassis cabs) which sells
better than any other single M1 variant (excluding chassis cabs). The test vehicle shallbe the variant which is nearest to the best seller having the following characteristics:
Is equipped only with the base safety equipment identified in 3.1.1.



Has two distinct front seats (no bench seats).

Has eight or nine seats.

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© 2009-2015 European New Car Assessment Programme

Heavy Vehicles Test and Assessment
Protocol • Version 2.0

3.1.2.2. For further information on which parameters can be changed if the test variant isdifferent from the best-selling variant, see the VSSTR protocol.

3.2. Euro NCAP Offset Deformable Impact Testing Protocol
3.2.1. Child Dummy Positioning
Child dummies shall be used in the second row passenger and driver side seating positions.

3.3. Euro NCAP Full Width Frontal Impact Testing Protocol
3.3.1. Rear Seat Dummy Positioning
Hybrid III 05F test dummies should be used for the front driver seat and the second rowpassenger seat.

3.4. Euro NCAP Side Impact Testing Protocol
3.4.1. Child Dummy Positioning
Child dummies shall be used in the second row passenger and driver side seating positions.

3.5. Euro NCAP Rear Whiplash Test Protocol
3.5.1. Dynamic Testing
Dynamic whiplash tests are not done on Heavy Vehicles and the requirements of the EuroNCAP Whiplash Test Protocol are not relevant.

3.5.2. Head Restraint Geometry
The backset and effective height of the front and rear head restraints shall be determinedaccording to the procedures detailed in the Euro NCAP Rear Whiplash Test Protocol. Thefollowing changes apply:
2.2.2.3 Seatback – Set to a position to give a nominal HPM torso
angle of 20°.

For the front row, the geometry is assessed only for the outboard seats. However, points
can be scored for this row only if a head restraint is fitted as standard equipment on all
M1 variants with a centre seating position.

Section 3.5 ‘Non-use Position Measurement’ does not apply to front seats but is applied
to rear seats. Scoring is adjusted as described in section 4.1.1 of this protocol.

3.6. Pedestrian Test Protocol (version 8.1 and later)
The test details specific to Heavy Vehicles are addressed in the regular protocol.

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© 2009-2015 European New Car Assessment Programme

Heavy Vehicles Test and AssessmentProtocol • Version 2.0

4. SCORING AND OVERALL RATINGThe scores for the four areas of overall assessment – Adult Occupant, Child Occupant,Pedestrian and Safety assist – shall be incorporated into the overall rating scheme as definedin ‘Euro-NCAP Assessment Protocol Overall Rating’.

4.1. Euro NCAP Assessment Protocol – AOP
The scoring for the Offset Deformable Impact Test, Full-Width Frontal Test, Side Barrier Impact
Test and Side Pole Impact test remains unchanged. Amendments have been introduced for thefollowing sections.

4.1.1. Whiplash Scoring
Scoring is different for the front row to that of subsequent rows as non-use assessment is not
relevant for the front row. The following changes apply:
5.3.2.2 Scaled Rear Whiplash Score
The raw score for the front seats is scaled to a maximum of two points
by a factor of 1/3 to determine the front seat whiplash score
The raw score for rows other than the front row is scaled to a maximumof one point by multiplication by a factor of 1/4n where n is thenumber of rear outboard seating positions.

4.2. Euro NCAP Assessment Protocol – COP
The scoring for the Child Occupant Protection remains unchanged.

4.3. Euro NCAP Assessment Protocol – SA
As Euro NCAP will assess vehicles with distinct front seats (no bench – see Section 3.1.2.1),
and as the Assessment Protocol – SA (version 6.0 or newer) refers to seats which can beremoved as part of ‘normal usage’, the scoring for front seatbelt reminder will be based only theoutboard seating positions.

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