The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has introduced a new, more frequent update cycle for its vehicle safety ratings, sparking concerns about consumer confusion. While ANCAP has historically updated its testing protocols every two to three years, the organization will now adjust the thresholds required to earn a five-star rating on an annual basis starting in 2027. This shift is intended to keep pace with rapid advancements in automotive technology, but it creates a scenario where a five-star vehicle from 2026 may not be directly comparable to a five-star model tested in 2027 or 2028.
Under the new 2026 framework, ANCAP has moved to a 'Stages of Safety' model. This system evaluates vehicles across four pillars: Safe Driving, Crash Avoidance, Crash Protection, and Post-Crash. These categories are designed to address modern safety concerns, such as the intrusiveness of driver-assistance systems, the safety of electric vehicle batteries, and the accessibility of emergency controls. By expanding the scope of testing, ANCAP aims to provide a more holistic view of vehicle safety beyond traditional crash performance.
To help manufacturers adapt to these more stringent requirements, ANCAP has implemented a 'soft landing' approach. This allows for slightly lower thresholds in the first two years of the new scheme, gradually increasing the difficulty to reach a five-star rating by 2028. Despite this, the annual changes mean that the benchmark for safety is constantly moving. For the average car buyer, this makes it increasingly difficult to use a simple star rating as a static measure of safety when comparing vehicles across different model years.
Industry observers and some manufacturers have noted that this complexity can be misleading. Because the criteria evolve, a five-star rating from a decade ago represents a significantly different level of safety than a five-star rating today. As ANCAP continues to raise the bar, consumers are encouraged to look beyond the star count and consider the specific year and protocols under which a vehicle was tested to understand its true safety capabilities.