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From OEM Compliance to Competitive Edge: V2X’s Rising Role in NCAP Safety Ratings

Updated: Jul 22

The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) is a globally recognized government-led vehicle safety rating system that evaluates the crashworthiness and safety features of new vehicles.


Originally designed to help consumers make safer vehicle choices, it has now also become a powerful industry benchmark that shapes automotive design, technology adoption, and even legislation. 


These ratings are not just for show; they significantly influence consumer purchasing decisions, regulatory policies, and insurance assessments. With global safety standards tightening and consumers expecting more from OEMs, NCAP ratings are now more than a badge of honor; they’re a business imperative.


What Does NCAP Test? Understanding How Vehicle Safety Is Measured


The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) evaluates vehicles through a series of standardized crash and safety tests, assigning ratings, typically in stars, to help consumers understand the vehicle's safety. These tests are grouped into three main categories:


1. Passive Safety


These tests assess how effectively a vehicle protects its occupants and nearby pedestrians in the event of a collision.


  • Frontal Crash Tests: Simulate head-on collisions at 64 km/h (Euro NCAP), using deformable barriers and dummies


  • Side Impact Tests: Mimic T-bone and pole-side collisions at speeds of 50–75 km/h


  • Whiplash Protection: Evaluates the seat and headrest design in rear-end crashes


  • Child Occupant Protection: Uses Q-series child dummies to assess restraint effectiveness, head excursion, and chest loads


  • Pedestrian Safety: Measures injury risks to the head and legs of adult and child dummies struck by the vehicle’s front structure (bumper, hood, windshield)



2. Active Safety


This category focuses on the vehicle’s ability to prevent accidents using onboard sensors and driver-assistance technologies.


  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)

    • Car-to-Car (AEB CCR, CCF, CPNC)

    • Pedestrian & Cyclist Detection (AEB VRU)


  • Lane Support Systems

    • Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

    • Lane Keep Assist (LKA)


  • Speed & Sign Assistance

    • Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR)

    • Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA)


  • Driver Monitoring

    • Fatigue and distraction detection via cameras


  • Blind Spot and Cross Traffic Alerts

    • Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Monitoring



These systems are scored based on real-world test scenarios, evaluating how quickly and effectively they respond (e.g., stopping distance, reaction time, collision avoidance).



3. New & Emerging Technologies


As mobility advances, NCAP programs are expanding to evaluate connected safety systems, making technologies like V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) essential for future vehicle testing and safety assessments.


V2X assessments focus on how effectively a vehicle can send and receive real-time safety messages to improve situational awareness and help prevent accidents.


Examples of V2X Safety Functions


  • Emergency Electronic Brake Light (EEBL)Intersection Movement Assist (IMA)


  • Red Light Violation Warning (RLVW)


  • Left Turn Assist (LTA)


Core V2X Message Types


  • Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM)


  • Decentralized Environmental Notification Message (DENM)


  • Collective Perception Message (CPM)


Cooperative Driving and Data Sharing Use Cases


  • Lane merging, platooning, and coordinated lane changes


  • Sharing sensor data (via LDM and CPM) to create a real-time, collective map of the surrounding vehicles, vulnerable road users, and roadside objects



V2X: The Future of Safety-Driven Vehicle Technology


The New Car Assessment Program is becoming an active policy lever that shapes how vehicles are built. NCAP frameworks are evolving across Europe, China, Korea, and beyond to reward proactive safety technologies, including Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication.


V2X communication allows vehicles to share real-time information with other vehicles (V2V), infrastructure (V2I), pedestrians (V2P), and networks (V2N). Unlike vision or radar-based sensors, which are limited to line-of-sight, V2X can detect even in non-line-of-sight situations, such as a vehicle approaching an intersection or a hazard in a blind spot. This low-latency, high-reliability communication allows vehicles to anticipate dangers and avoid collisions before human or sensor perception can react.


This makes V2X a foundational technology that connects all road entities for collision avoidance, traffic efficiency, and a key enabler for the development of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).



Country-by-Country: V2X in NCAP Scoring Systems


As V2X becomes a defining factor in vehicle safety ratings, OEMs must track how leading NCAP programs are embedding connected technologies into scoring frameworks. Here is a country-by-country look at where V2X stands within NCAP ratings today:


  • Europe (Euro NCAP): By 2026, V2X-enabled “Day 1” services such as local hazard warnings will be scored. By 2030, “Day 2” services (e.g., cooperative maneuvering, sensor sharing) will be assessed. A failure to implement direct communication (sidelink/PC5) can result in a 20% scoring penalty.


  • China (C-NCAP): As of 2024, up to 12.5% of crash prevention scores are now tied to V2X functionality, and this is assessed through live testing, not just paperwork.


  • Korea (K-NCAP): Starting in 2025, V2X contributes to “accident prevention” points, which now make up 2.5% of the scoring in that category, with this number expected to increase over time.


  • United States: Despite clear safety benefits and years of supporting research, V2X remains excluded from the U.S. NCAP scoring framework in the U.S.. This is particularly notable given that, according to NHTSA, over 40,000 people lost their lives in traffic crashes in 2023 across the nation — a figure that has remained consistently high.


    At the same time, the U.S. government actively supports V2X, specifically the deployment of C-V2X, through regulatory initiatives, spectrum allocation, and safety programs, recognizing its potential to reduce crashes. The absence of V2X from NCAP, despite these efforts, represents a missed opportunity to encourage broader adoption of this life-saving technology.


Overall, this is a strong signal: NCAP is no longer just about physical crash tests — it’s about predictive digital safety.



What V2X Capabilities Matter Most for NCAP Ratings?


To satisfy NCAP criteria and enable scalable deployments, V2X systems must meet the following specifications:


1. Support for Direct Communication (PC5)


This is essential for low-latency, infrastructure-independent services:


  • Intersection Movement Assist (IMA)


  • Left Turn Assist (LTA)


  • Emergency Electronic Brake Light (EEBL)


These services cannot be reliably delivered via cellular network uplink (Uu) due to unpredictable latency and coverage gaps. PC5/sidelink ensures deterministic performance regardless of the environment.


2. 5G-V2X Readiness (3GPP Rel-16+)


NCAP scoring trends reflect the shift toward “Day 2” cooperative services, which require:


  • High bandwidth (up to 40 MHz)


  • Low latency (as low as 5ms)


  • High reliability (99.999%)


  • Support for advanced message types (e.g., CPM, MCM)


These performance levels are only achievable through 5G NR-V2X, standardized in 3GPP Releases 16–18.


3. Future-Proofing via Software-Defined Modems (SDM)


OEMs face the risk of deploying V2X modules that become obsolete within 3 to 5 years. With SDMs:


  • Protocol updates (e.g., Rel-14 → Rel-18) can be done over-the-air (OTA)


  • Vehicle platforms remain compliant with future NCAP revisions


  • Long-term total cost of ownership (TCO) is reduced



OEMs: The Business Case for V2X Integration


Beyond regulatory pressure and safety performance, V2X offers clear commercial advantages. For OEMs, integrating V2X is not just about compliance, it's a strategic investment in product competitiveness, market access, and long-term platform value.


1. Stronger NCAP Scores = Higher Consumer Confidence


As NCAP programs evolve to include V2X-enabled features, vehicles with these capabilities are better positioned to achieve 4 and 5-star safety ratings. This directly influences:


  • Consumer purchase decisions


  • Fleet procurement requirements


  • Brand reputation in safety-conscious markets



2. Market Differentiation in a Saturated ADAS Space


Most new vehicles today offer similar ADAS capabilities, but V2X adds a layer of value that differentiates models by enabling:


  • Predictive safety — detecting what sensors cannot


  • Connected driving experiences — cooperative braking, real-time infrastructure guidance


  • Readiness for smart city environments



3. Cost Efficiency Through Platform Scalability


V2X, especially when implemented with software-defined hardware, enables:


  • Shared architecture across global markets (customizable for region-specific regulations)


  • Lower long-term upgrade costs (via OTA updates instead of hardware recalls)


  • Streamlined integration with other in-vehicle connectivity systems (e.g., SDV platforms)



What OEMs Must Focus On (Technically and Strategically)


1. Prioritize Sidelink (PC5) Support


To meet NCAP’s direct communication requirement, OEMs should place emphasis on prioritizing the implementation of C-V2X (PC5/sidelink-based communication), opposed to just network-based (Uu) V2N messaging.


This is particularly vital for:


  • Intersection movement assist


  • Cooperative emergency braking


  • Vulnerable road user alerts


2. Prepare for 5G-V2X Evolution


With the automotive industry moving towards advanced C-V2X deployments, OEMs should anticipate the evolution from LTE-V2X (3GPP Rel-14/15) to 5G-V2X (Rel-16 and beyond). OEMs should prioritize hardware and software that:


  • Supports higher bandwidth (up to 40 MHz)


  • Support for advanced applications, including cooperative perception and sensor sharing


  • Demonstrates readiness for evolving V2X communication standards and anticipated NCAP safety assessments


3. Enable Software-Defined Upgrades


Static V2X chipsets will be obsolete within one lifecycle. Instead, software-defined modems (SDMs) allow for Over-the-Air (OTA) upgrades from LTE-V2X to 5G-V2X and beyond, reducing the need for hardware replacements and keeping vehicles NCAP-aligned over time.



Ettifos: Powering the Future of NCAP-Aligned V2X


At Ettifos, we believe V2X is not just a connectivity feature — it’s a life-saving technology and strategic differentiator.


Our Software-defined modem (SDM) is designed for flexibility, allowing vehicles and infrastructure to seamlessly evolve from LTE-V2X to 5G-V2X and beyond without costly hardware changes. Proven in cross-vendor trials and deployed in government-led projects, Ettifos’ SDM enables:


  • Seamless OTA upgrades to support current and emerging V2X standards (Rel-14 to Rel-18+)


  • Interoperability with leading V2X chipsets and infrastructure


  • Built-in compliance with NCAP-aligned safety services, including the delivery of Day 1 and Day 2 applications


  • Future-proof deployment with flexible architecture supporting both LTE-V2X and 5G-V2X (PC5/sidelink) communication


  • Support for hybrid V2X scenarios (V2V, V2I, V2P, and V2N), ensuring robust connectivity across all environments


As NCAP requirements tighten and V2X adoption accelerates, OEMs that embed Ettifos’ V2X solutions will be better positioned — technically, competitively, and reputationally.



Final Thoughts: Safety Through V2X Pays Off


OEMs looking ahead to 2026 and beyond must understand that V2X is no longer optional.


By aligning with NCAP's V2X scoring, automakers not only boost safety and compliance but also open themselves up to smart city deployment contracts and government-led programs by ensuring they have a necessary differentiator across increasingly saturated ADAS markets.


With the right partners and flexible technologies, V2X integration can be your strategic edge.




About Ettifos: 


Founded in 2018, Ettifos is a 5G-focused V2X solutions provider invested in enabling the most advanced smart city/smart intersection deployments and connected vehicles (CV) technology.


The company supplies innovative and versatile OBU and RSU systems tailored to customers’ specific project and service requirements, with the vision of connecting all entities in motion to create a world with safer, smarter, and more efficient roads.



 
 
 
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