Keynote

• Complex electronic architectures and highly networked functions require a build-up of competence and transformation of specialist personnel in overall vehicle crashes
• High international competitive pressure is putting a strain on vehicle project budgets and timing in the product development process and leading to changes in validation and verification
• Further development of the requirements of consumer organizations as well as changed vehicle architectures lead to necessary technology changes in the execution of overall vehicle tests

Legal Requirements

• Equitability
• New Occupant Positions in Automated Driving
• Pedestrian Protection
• IWVTA Updates

• ACPE: A new regulation to prevent pedal error accidents, concept, status and outlook
• DCAS, Driver Control Assistance System, concept, status and outlook

• What is an ADS (from a regulatory perspective)?
• How to set performance requirements for ADS driving?
• How to assess compliance with these requirements?
• How to monitor safety throughout the useful life of ADS vehicles?
• What are the plans for establishing ADS safety regulations?

Introduction of Vehicle Safety Concepts

• Presentation of the BMW Gen5 xEV architecture
• Safety requirements and loadcases for the design of xEVs
• How to achieve a comparable safety level for ICE, PHEV and BEV in a common body in white
• How to mitigate the risk of thermal propagation

• User Communication
• General legal framework for L3 and L4
• Technical regulations / requirements
• Type approval of L4-vehicles vs. approval of the operational design domain (ODD)
• Barriers to the introduction of automated vehicles

• Advanced Level 2 systems are on their way to becoming standard equipment: ADAS already offer high safety benefits and hands off systems should increase customer benefits - What are the resulting consequences for safeguarding and approval?
• No rapid breakthrough in sight for Level 3 in private cars: Legal framework and technology are in place, but cost-benefit ratio is preventing widespread use currently - Can advancing digitalization, transition to software defined vehicles and connectivity solve the problem?
• Level 4 in People and Goods Movers on the verge of regular operation: What do stakeholders need to do to remove last procedural hurdles and to get Mobility and Transportation as a Service on the road now?

Consumer Protection Requirements

• Latest news for Euro NCAP, members, labs, trends and forecast
• Introduction of the new 2026 rating scheme, principles, and justification
• Updates from the working groups: latest decisions
• Conclusions and outlook

• Overview of current crashworthiness, headlight, front crash prevention, pedestrian, LATCH, booster and seat belt reminder evaluations
• Review of current criteria for IIHS’s Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + awards

• Results analysis of models tested by C-NCAP
• Interpretation of the 2024 C-NCAP protocol
• Version 2027 of the C-NCAP Research Plan

Vehicle Safety Testing

• Current requirements
  • Sources and basic testing requirements from certifications for road approval, ratings and standards
• Progress of active safety development
  • Overview of past and future achievements based on expert survey regarding milestones for the development of automated driving
• Efficiency requirements & scalability
  • Trend of shorter development cycles, changes in the automotive market and technical requirement for statistical power result in needs for automation and digitalization
• Adverse environmental conditions
  • Crucial step in extending the ODD is testing under adverse conditions, mainly rain, glaring sunlight, crooked road edges, temporary lane boundary objects and damaged road markings

Vehicle Safety Testing

• “Real-life“ car-to-car crash
• High-voltage and battery safety in electric vehicles
• Vehicle safety is not a question of the drive train!
• Occupant protection from a gender perspective

• Tests specification for full size and sled testing
• Dummy criteria and possible assessment for adults and children
• Prerequisites and modifiers

• Recall statistics of the KBA and the EU (RAPEX/Safety Gate)
• What are the reasons for recalls?
• What are the consequences of these errors?

Introduction of Vehicle Safety Concepts

• Collision Warning, Emergency Braking and Steering as the corner stone of the active safety concept
• PreCrash Functions to improve the safety of vehicle occupants
• Extension of the active safety concept by car-to-x
• Communication light to increase the safety of other road users

Safe Driving

• Update on 2026 Occupant Monitoring and Driver Engagement
• Update on the 2024 protocol

• Goal of the new HMI & HF Working Group 
• Recent work
• Outlook 2026

• Presentation of the BMW implementation of a L2 Hands-Off assisted driving function with active lane change functionality.
• Philosophy behind the implementation with a focus on human factors.
• SOTIF measures to ensure a safe function.

Virtual Testing

• Global overview of Virtual Testing for assessment of passive vehicle safety in consumer testing and regulations
• Current status of Virtual Testing in Euro NCAP to assess crashworthiness
• UNECE Informal Working Group Equitable Occupant Protection (EqOP) - Task force “Virtual Crash Testing”