Volvo XC40
Thatcham Research has revealed the ten safest new cars vying for the What Car? Safety Award 2019, set to be announced on January 22.
With two nominations each Volvo and Audi while Ford, Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Peugeot models are also included
Matthew Avery, judge and Director of Research at Thatcham Research “It’s clear that occupants of the latest cars are at a lower risk than ever. But not resting on our laurels, we raised the bar in safety testing for 2018. This means the ten cars in this longlist are some of the safest ever made, anywhere in the world.
“Accidents involving our most vulnerable road users have increased 12% over recent years. This is why the progression seen in safety technology like AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) is so fundamental. All the cars in the list not only have AEB systems to prevent or mitigate crashes into other vehicles, but they can also cope with the much tougher challenge of detecting cyclists and pedestrians.”
Avery continues, “All cars in the top ten have systems which can provide highly effective assistance to drivers – by managing speed, offering steering support should a car drift out of lane, and maintaining a safe distance to the car in front. These systems are forming the foundations of Automated Driving and will improve road safety. However, drivers must remember they need to always be in control and avoid over-relying on them.”
The ten contenders
The ten safest new cars, in alphabetical order
Audi A6
Audi Q3
Ford Focus
Jaguar I-Pace
Lexus ES
Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Nissan LEAF
Peugeot 508
Volvo V60/S60
Volvo XC40
An overall What Car? Safety Award 2019 winner, along with the cars in second and third place, will be announced at the Car of the Year ceremony on the evening of Tuesday January 22nd 2019.
Geraldine Herbert
10th January 2019
RT 
