Resources Related to NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program
Overview
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program, also referred to as NCAP, administers the government 5-Star Safety Ratings Program, providing consumers with important safety information to assist in vehicle purchasing decisions. NCAP conducts frontal crash, side crash, rollover resistance tests, and crash avoidance performance assessments of new vehicles and, based on the results, assigns safety ratings to the tested vehicles. The ratings enable consumers to consider and assess the relative safety of vehicles.
Procedures & Reports
NHTSA makes test procedures and reports publicly available. Crashworthiness tests rate how well a vehicle protects people inside the vehicle in a crash. Crash avoidance tests evaluate how well a vehicle’s safety technology can help a driver avoid a crash.
Test Procedures
- NCAP Full Frontal Rigid Barrier Impact Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0046-0014
- NCAP Side Impact Rigid Pole Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0046-0015
- NCAP Side Impact Moving Deformable Barrier Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0046-0016
- NCAP Dynamic Rollover Resistance (Fishhook Maneuver) Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0119-0027
- NCAP Static Stability Factor (SSF) Measurement Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0119-0031
- Forward Collision Warning System Performance Evaluation Test Procedure – NHTSA-2006-26555-0134
- Lane Departure Warning System Performance Evaluation Test Procedure – NHTSA-2006-26555-0135
- Crash Imminent Brake System Performance Evaluation Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0006-0025
- Dynamic Brake Support System Performance Evaluation Test Procedure – NHTSA-2015-0006-0026
- Rearview Video System Performance Evaluation Test Procedure – NHTSA-2013-0076
Test Reports
- NCAP Model Year 2025 Crash Avoidance Technology Test Reports – NHTSA-2024-0015
- NCAP Model Year 2024 Crash Avoidance Technology Test Reports – NHTSA-2023-0060
- NCAP Model Year 2023 Crash Avoidance Technology Test Reports – NHTSA-2022-0027
- NCAP Model Year 2022 Crash Avoidance Technology Test Reports – NHTSA-2021-0050
- NCAP Model Year 2021 Crash Avoidance Technology Test Reports – NHTSA-2020-0120
- NCAP Model Year 2020 Crash Avoidance Technology Test Reports – NHTSA-2020-0001
- NCAP Model Year 2015 – 2016 Rearview Video Test Reports – NHTSA-2013-0076
- NCAP Model Year 2015 – 2019 Crash Avoidance CIB/DBS Test Reports – NHTSA-2015-0006
- NCAP Model Year 2010 – 2019 Crash Avoidance FCW/LDW Test Reports – NHTSA-2010-0093
Data
NHTSA makes its vehicle safety ratings information publicly available as a dataset.
Notices
Notices and public comments related to NCAP are searchable in the Federal Register.
FAQs
Yes, NHTSA is constantly evaluating its New Car Assessment Program for updates and has provided a roadmap for potential updates. NHTSA prioritizes updates that have the greatest safety impact. NHTSA uses four prerequisites when considering updates to the program.
- Does the update address a significant safety need?
- Do vehicle designs exist for the update?
- Does the update have the potential to improve safety?
- Does an objective test procedure exist for the update?
Once the prerequisites for an update are met, NHTSA begins the updating process.
- Request for comments notice published in the Federal Register
• Solicits comments on a detailed proposal - Receipt of public comments
• Public submits comments to NHTSA - Comments resolution process
• NHTSA considers comments
• Conducts additional research, if needed - Is a supplemental public notice/request for comments needed?
• If yes, repeat process and begin with step 1
• If no, move to step 5 - Final decision notice published in the Federal Register
• NHTSA responds to public comments
• Final decision detailed, including lead time for changes and implementation
For the frontal crash tests, crash dummies representing an average-size adult male and a small-size adult female are placed in the driver and front passenger seats, respectively, and are secured with the vehicle's seat belts. Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 miles per hour (mph), which is equivalent to a head-on collision between two similar vehicles each moving at 35 mph. Since the rating reflects a crash between two similar vehicles, make sure you compare vehicles from the same weight class, plus or minus 250 pounds, when looking at frontal crash star ratings and Overall Vehicle Scores.
Instruments measure the force of impact to each dummy's head, neck, chest, pelvis, legs, and feet. Frontal star ratings indicate the chance of a serious head, neck, chest, and leg injury to the driver and right front seat passenger in a frontal crash. A serious injury is one requiring hospitalization. Star ratings for the driver and passenger in a frontal crash test are assigned as follows:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= less than 10% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐⭐⭐= 10% to 15% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐⭐= 15% to 20% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐= 20% to 40% chance of serious injury
⭐= greater than 40% chance of serious injury
The overall frontal star rating is assigned according to the chart below:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= Frontal crash injury risk in this vehicle is much less than average
⭐⭐⭐⭐= Frontal crash injury risk in this vehicle is less than average to average
⭐⭐⭐= Frontal crash injury risk in this vehicle is average to greater than average
⭐⭐= Frontal crash injury risk in this vehicle is greater than average
⭐= Frontal crash injury risk in this vehicle is much greater than average
For the side barrier crash tests, crash dummies representing an average-size adult male and a small-size adult female are placed in the driver and rear passenger seats (driver's side), respectively, and are secured with the vehicle's seat belts. The side crash rating represents an intersection-type collision with a 3,000-pound barrier moving at 38.5 mph into a standing vehicle. The moving barrier is covered with material that has "give" to replicate the front of a vehicle. Since all rated vehicles are impacted by the same size barrier, it is possible to compare all vehicles with each other when looking at side barrier crash protection ratings.
Instruments measure the force of impact to each dummy's head, neck, chest, lower spine, abdomen, and pelvis. Side barrier star ratings indicate the chance of a serious head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis injury for the driver and front seat passenger (outboard first row occupants), and the chance of serious head and pelvis injury for the rear seat passengers (outboard second row occupants). A serious injury is one requiring hospitalization. It may result in a permanent disability or in some cases be life-threatening.
Lower spine injury, although measured, is not currently included in the star rating. Excessive lower spine injury readings (lower spine reading greater than 82 Gs) are reported separately. For the front seat occupants, they are reported as a footnote on NHTSA.gov, and for the rear passenger occupants, they are reported separately as a safety concern. Star ratings for front and rear seat occupants in the side barrier crash test are assigned as follows:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= less than 10% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐⭐⭐= 10% to 15% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐⭐= 15% to 20% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐= 20% to 40% chance of serious injury
⭐= greater than 40% chance of serious injury
The overall side barrier star rating is assigned according to the chart below:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= Side barrier crash injury risk for this vehicle is much less than average
⭐⭐⭐⭐= Side barrier crash injury risk for this vehicle is less than average to average
⭐⭐⭐= Side barrier crash injury risk for this vehicle is average to greater than average
⭐⭐= Side barrier crash injury risk for this vehicle is greater than average
⭐= Side barrier crash injury risk for this vehicle is much greater than average
For the side pole crash test, a crash-rating dummy representing a small-sized adult female is placed in the driver’s seat and is secured with the vehicle's seat belt. During a side pole crash test, a vehicle strikes a 25 cm diameter pole at a 75-degree angle at 20 mph. The pole mimics narrow fixed objects like utility poles and trees that are often involved in side crashes. Since all rated vehicles impact the same size pole, it is possible to compare all vehicles with each other when looking at side pole crash protection ratings.
Instruments measure the force of impact to the dummy's head, neck, chest, lower spine, abdomen, and pelvis. Side pole star rating indicates the chance of serious head and pelvis injury for the driver (outboard first row occupants). A serious injury is one requiring hospitalization. It may result in a permanent disability or in some cases be life-threatening.
Lower spine injury, although measured, is not currently included in the star rating. Excessive lower spine injury readings (lower spine reading greater than 82 Gs) are reported separately as a safety concern.
Star ratings for front seat occupants in the side pole test are assigned as follows:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= less than 10% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐⭐⭐= 10% to 15% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐⭐= 15% to 20% chance of serious injury
⭐⭐= 20% to 40% chance of serious injury
⭐= greater than 40% chance of serious injury
Since there is only one dummy in the pole test, the overall pole test rating is equal to the star rating for the front seat occupant.
The overall side crash star rating is assigned according to the chart below:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐= Side crash injury risk for this vehicle is much less than average
⭐⭐⭐⭐= Side crash injury risk for this vehicle is less than average to average
⭐⭐⭐= Side crash injury risk for this vehicle is average to greater than average
⭐⭐= Side crash injury risk for this vehicle is greater than average
⭐= Side crash injury risk for this vehicle is much greater than average
Additional FAQs can be found on our Ratings webpage.
Ratings
Search vehicles, car seats and tires at NHTSA.gov/Ratings.