VW’s all-electric hatchback gains five-star safety rating
The VW ID.3 has received a five star safety rating thanks to safety assist systems. Photos: Volkswagen
Volkswagen will be celebrating with the release of the safety rating for its electric hatchback, the ID.3, that’s just gone on sale in Europe.
The ID.3 rated five stars in the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) safety test, the highest score possible. The auditors gave the first model to be based on the new modular electric drive matrix (MEB) good ratings in all criteria – for the protection of adult occupants, children and vulnerable road users as well as for its safety assist systems.
"This is a great success for our entire ID. team", says Dr Frank Welsch, member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management responsible for Development.
“A high level of safety in our vehicles is always very important to us and has therefore been incorporated into the MEB concept from the start. The ID.3 impressively demonstrates this with its five stars."
The assessment of occupant protection for adults is based on factors including frontal impact, lateral impact and whiplash tests. Based on these tests and an assessment of the measures taken with regard to prompt and safe rescue and extrication, a protection level of 87 per cent was determined for drivers and passengers in the ID.3. A protection level as high as 89 per cent was attested for children.
This evaluation is based on three important aspects: In addition to the protection provided by child restraint systems in the event of a frontal or lateral impact, the options in the vehicle for installing child seats of various sizes and categories as well as the equipment that a vehicle offers for the safe transportation of children were examined.
For the first time, a centre airbag for the front seats is also installed in the ID.3.
In addition to occupant protection in vehicles, Euro NCAP also examines how well automatic emergency braking systems (AEB) can protect vulnerable road users – pedestrians and cyclists – in the event of an impending collision. The auditors also attach great importance to further standard assistance systems.
One of the positive things about the ID.3 is that all equipment variants come with the lane keeping assistant “Lane Assist” and the emergency braking assistant “Front Assist” as standard.
For the first time at Volkswagen, a feature known as a centre airbag for the front seats is also installed in the ID.3. It prevents possible head contact between the driver and front passenger in the event of a side collision, for example.
Volkswagen offers further high-end assistance systems as an option: One of them is the ACC adaptive cruise control with predictive speed detection. Travel Assist enables assisted driving up to 160 km/h. Traffic Jam assist, a Blind Spot sensor with Rear Traffic Alert, Emergency Assist and Park Assist also contribute to safe, relaxed driving.
Unfortunately, the ID.3 is an electric vehicle for only Europe and China so we won't get it in New Zealand, though we could get the next EV model, the ID.4 SUV.
