Blind Spot Technology is now included in ASEAN NCAP

Road accidents have already become part of the daily news. That’s why in order to improve safety on the road, the New Car Assessment Programme for Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN NCAP) has conducted its first Blind Spot Technology (BST) development test.

This assessment is part of the ASEAN NCAP 2017-2020 protocol, in which the BST technology is now under the Safety Assist (SA) category, and will be part of the requirements in obtaining points to achieve a star rating. 

BST is a car safety feature that warns the driver when a motorcycle is approaching from either the side or rear of the car, especially when changing lanes. With this technology, collision may be prevented, and motorists’ injuries may also be minimized.

As part of the evaluation, a total of 10 car models with different types of BSTs that are sold in ASEAN market were assessed. Each vehicle were tested against 10 target motorcycles that are popular in the region in terms of sales. Two types of assessment were performed – one during the daytime and the other one at night.

The inclusion of BST in the assessment was driven by the alarming number of motorcyclist fatalities in ASEAN region, specifically in Malaysia where, according to Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), 4,348 deaths were recorded at 64.5% last year.