Audi gets top ratings for safety

The Audi A4 and Q5 achieved a top five-star rating in the newer and more stringent Euro New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) safety tests. The U.S. National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed this outstanding collision performance and gave both cars a five-star rating in all categories.

In addition, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a U.S. consumer protection organization, proclaimed the Audi Q5 its "Top Safety Pick" – the best buy when it comes to safety.

Following the tradition of the Audi A3, A4, A6 and Audi Q7, the Audi Q5 has now also achieved top ratings from the renowned Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States. This makes Audi the first carmaker in the world to earn the coveted honor of "Top Safety Pick" for the fifth time. The IIHS determines the safety standards for cars on behalf of the U.S. insurance industry.

For this it conducts one front and one side impact test in each case, and also simulates a rear-end collision. The "Top Safety Pick" certificate is only awarded when top ratings are achieved in all three disciplines, and when the electronic stabilization program (ESP) is offered as standard equipment as well.

The side impact test included in the IIHS crash test is particularly demanding. In it, the car being tested experiences a 31 mph (50 km/h) side impact with a moving barrier that simulates a typical American SUV.

The resulting structural deformations are then evaluated, along with passenger kinematics and impact. The Audi Q5 stood out for its outstandingly low impact ratings – its high-strength and super-high-strength steel components ensure an extremely stable car body.
The risk of injury is further reduced by the networked controls for the restraint systems, which adapt to each specific crash situation, along with up to eight airbags.

In the rear-end collision simulation, the IIHS evaluates impact on the neck and spine. In the Audi Q5, the integrated head restraint system and the optimized design of the seat geometry help counter the risk of whiplash injuries.

The IIHS does not test performance in high-speed rear-end collisions. In these cases, the rear side rails, rear wheels, and body sills of the Audi Q5 are designed specifically to reduce the energy of impact. The fuel tank lies in the protected zone in front of the rear-axle support – and the fuel pump switches off when a crash is detected.

The Audi Q5 and A4 both achieved a top five-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety test, for which a new and expanded evaluation system was used. The Euro NCAP consortium is made up of international representatives of European transport ministries, automobile associations, insurers and consumer protection organizations. It examines the crash performance of new cars. The demanding requirements of the test traditionally far exceed the standards of European lawmakers.

Since February 2009, Euro NCAP has added even more stringent standards: along with protecting adult passengers, the overall ratings also include standards for passenger protection for children and pedestrians, as well as the level of active safety.

Both the Audi A4 and the Q5 scored highly in all disciplines. The A4 and Q5 scored 93 and 92 percent, respectively, in protecting adult passengers in the frontal, side and simulated rear-end collisions.

Both cars also achieved outstanding scores in child safety, with 84 percent out of 100 – impressive proof of the success of the comprehensive Audi "Modular Longitudinal Platform" safety concept, which serves as the basis of the A4 midsize sedan and the Q5 SUV.

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Credits: JRC