Technical Bulletin

Assessment of Automatic Passenger
Airbag Disabling Systems
Version 2.0
10th February 2023
TB 023

TitleVersionDocument NumberAuthor
Date
Related Documents
Application Date

Assessment of Automatic Passenger Airbag Disabling Systems
2.0
TB 023Euro NCAP Secretariat
10th February 2023
Child Occupant Protection Assessment Protocol
1st January 2023

Copyright © Euro NCAP 2023 - This work is the intellectual property of Euro NCAP. Permission is granted for this material
to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on thereproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of Euro NCAP. To disseminate otherwise or to
republish requires written permission from Euro NCAP.

Preface
DISCLAIMER: Euro NCAP has taken all reasonable care to ensure that the information
published in this document is accurate and reflects the technical decisions taken by theorganisation. In the unlikely event that this protocol contains a typographical error or any otherinaccuracy, Euro NCAP reserves the right to make corrections and determine the assessment
and subsequent result of the affected requirement(s).

EUROPEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME (Euro NCAP)

Table of Contents
1.

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1

2.
2.1
2.2

Installations and assessments ....................................................................................... 2
Test matrix ...................................................................................................................... 2
Notes ............................................................................................................................... 3

3.
3.1
3.2
3.3

Child Restraint Systems ............................................................................................... 4
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 4
Key to installation modes: .............................................................................................. 4
Notes ............................................................................................................................... 4

1.

Introduction

Euro NCAP uses a standardised method of assessing the functionality of automatic passenger
airbag disabling systems. This is to avoid the need for human subjects, in particular children,
to be present at the time of assessment. However, for the purposes of this assessment, it will benecessary to use a human 5th percentile female. The use of any human subjects to demonstrate
system functionality is not precluded providing that all relevant ethical and privacy guidelines
are followed.
This procedure evaluates the automatic airbag disabling system functionality with a variety ofCRS sizes, orientations and attachment methods. The requirements for airbag disablingswitches are detailed in the Child Occupant Protection Assessment Protocol, the following
extract details additional requirements applicable to automatic deactivation systems:a) The system must ensure that the airbag is OFF for ANY rearward facing CRS and obviate
any risk associated with airbag deploymentb) If, with the ignition on and with engine running or not, the airbag status can be changed, theentire system must immediately react to the change correctly. Up to 10 seconds will bepermitted from the change of occupant status to the corresponding signal from the airbag statusindicator. Systems will be checked once the vehicle diagnostics/system checks have been
completed.
c) The system must automatically re-activate the airbag when the seat is occupied by a person
who is not required to use a child restraint.

The Euro NCAP test laboratory must check if the minimum requirements are followed:● Airbag is OFF when using any rearward facing CRS● Airbag is ON for a 5th percentile female occupant and larger

It is the responsibility of the vehicle manufacturer to demonstrate the system functionality inall other situations, i.e. forward facing CRS & a child sat on the vehicle seat. The requirements
detailed in the following section aim to address a variety of different occupant ages, staturesand child installation modes.
Additional requirements for automatic airbag disabling systems can be found in the EuroNCAP Assessment protocol – Child Occupant Protection.

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2.

Installations and assessments

2.1
Test matrix
Installation of CRS listed in the table above and settings shall be performed in accordance with
the CRS installation requirements in the Testing Protocol – Child Occupant Protection.
System Requirements for Airbag Status
Occupant

No CRS

Rearward facing
belted CRS withintegral harness

ForwardFacing CRS

ForwardFacing boosterseat(Group I)(Group 0, 0+, I &II)

Can it be done by Lab?
Boostercushion(Group III)

Systemfunctionality:
Human ISNOT required

Systemfunctionality:
Human ISrequired(Group II &III)
OEM data
requiredNew-born

Mandatory OFF<60cm#1 Maxi Cosi
Pebble 360*
#2 Maxi Cosi
Cabriofix &Easybase 2*

1.5YO

Mandatory OFF

75cm87cm&<15month#1 Maxi Cosi
Pebble 360#2 Maxi Cosi
Cabriofix &Easybase 2#3 Maxi Cosi
Pebble 360 &FamilyFix

Yes

NoYes

NoYesNoYesNo

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yesa) OEM
Strategy#4 Britax
King II LS

3YO87cm105cm

Mandatory OFF#5 Britax Elite
two way

6YO
Mandatory OFF
105cm125cm#5 Britax Elite
two waya) OEM
Strategy#4 Britax
King II LS #6Britax Trifix 2#8 Cybex
Solution Za) OEM
Strategya) OEM
Strategy#7 Britax
Advansafix#8 Cybex
Solution Z

10YO>125cmb)a) OEM
Strategya) OEM
Strategyc) N/Ac) N/A#8 Cybex
Solution Z

5th female

50th male

95th male

MandatoryON
Humanrequired
MandatoryON
Humanrequired
MandatoryON
Humanrequired

Version 2.010th February 2023a)* OEM
Strategy#9 Graco
boostercushiona) OEM
Strategy#9 Graco
boostercushion22.2Notesa) The airbag deployment strategy is the decision of the OEM. There is no mandatory
status requirement specified by Euro NCAP. However, where the strategy is airbag ON,
the OEM must show that deployment does not lead to higher risk for a child comparedto that with the airbag OFF. This demonstration applies to both manual and automatic
airbag disabling systems. For CRS installations involving a child, the stature ranges forwhich the CRS is approved shall be adhered to.
b) This configuration is permitted in certain EU countries as there are differences between
the regulatory requirements within the EU. Some EU countries require children to use
a suitable CRS for all statures up to 150cm, whereas others permit children of 135cm
to occupy a vehicle seat with no CRS. Therefore, larger statures (6YO and 10YO) are
included in the Euro NCAP assessment.
c) Currently not applicable (N/A): It is theoretically possible to have a large rearwardfacing CRS for taller statures, but none are known to exist at present. If one becomes
available in the future, Euro NCAP will consider its inclusion in this assessment.
d) For cells marked X there will be no installation as this combination of CRS type andchild is precluded.

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33.

Child Restraint Systems

3.1
Summary
Detailed below are the CRS to be used in the system assessment and the required installation
modes.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Child Restraint System
Maxi Cosi Pebble 360
Maxi Cosi Cabriofix + EasyBase 2
Maxi Cosi Pebble 360 & FamilyFix 360
Britax Römer King II LS Universal
Britax Römer Two-way Elite Uni FWF & Semi-Uni RWF
Britax Römer Trifix 2 i-Size
Britax Römer Advansafix III SICTCybex Solution Z i-fix

9.

Graco booster basic

3.2

Installation mode
B___
B_L__IL_
B___
B___
_I_S
BI__
B___

TB 012
Yes
NoYes
Yes
NoYes
NoYes

B___

Yes

Key to installation modes:
B = Belted
I = ISOFIX attachments
L = Support leg
S = Top-tether

3.3
Notes
Installations of ISOFIX CRS (#3, #6, #7) are only applicable where the front passenger seat(s)is equipped with ISOFIX anchorages (including optional any seats & anchorages).
Seat #5 has universal approval for forward facing use and semi-universal approval when usedrearward facing. This approval shall be ignored for the purposes of assessing the airbag
disabling system when used rearwards facing and the vehicle does not have to be on theapproved list of vehicles. This CRS is used as tool to check how the vehicle responds to a large,
rearwards facing CRS, and a 6 year old child placed on the front passenger seat(s).

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