Too low a BYD in ADAS safety tests

Safety body Euro NCAP has put five assisted driving systems on current cars to the test, and slammed the technology fitted to the BYD Atto 3.

The systems, which include such technology as intelligent active cruise control, have since 2020 been assessed by Euro NCAP, which said that in the latest tests it found “wide differences in manufacturers’ implementation of the technology.”

The systems fitted to the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class were described as very good with exceptional levels of assistance competence and excellent safety backup, while those on the Volkswagen ID.7 and Volvo EC40 were dubbed good, performing well but without the sophistication and robust performance of the BMW and Mercedes.

However the system on the BYD Atto 3 was described as switching itself off in critical situations and Euro NCAP refused to recommend it.

The tests are based on two main pillars; Assistance Competence, the balance between the level of assistance offered by the vehicle and the degree to which the system helps the driver remain in control; and Safety Backup, the measures taken in critical situations to avoid a collision.

For this year the test was tightened up with extended driver monitoring requirements and additional measures introduced to improve speed assistance related to lane relevance, road features, and local hazards. The Safety Backup scenarios were also expanded to include motorcyclist avoidance alongside pedestrians and cyclists.

Testers were particularly impressed by the way in which the Mercedes, confronted by an apparently unresponsive driver, moved itself to the hard shoulder and slowed to a controlled stop. 

Far less impressive was the Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control fitted to the Atto 3 from new to the UK market BYD. The speed assistance system was found to not interpret road signs correctly and scored only modestly in Assistance Competence.