ANCAP awards five-star safety ratings to Chinese trio, but dings two for lack of physical buttons

Three more electrified models from China – the GAC Aion UT small electric hatch, BYD M9 hybrid people mover, and the Xpeng X9 electric people mover – have been awarded maximum five-star ANCAP safety ratings. 

However, despite the five-star ratings, two of the models were criticised by ANCAP for being too reliant on their touchscreens for key driving features. 

The Aion UT, a fully electric hatchback that was launched locally earlier this year, scored 68 per cent for the Safe Driving component of its assessment, along with 74 per cent for Crash Avoidance, 90 per cent for Crash Protection, and 88 per cent for Post Crash. 

ANCAP generally praised the model’s performance in its frontal offset and full-width frontal crash tests, but said the GAC was a “particularly strong” performer in side-impact testing, where it received maximum scores for driver protection. 

However, the independent auto safety organisation did take points off the Aion UT due to the number of commonly used functions that can only be accessed via the car’s touchscreen. It also knocked the model’s adaptive cruise control system for not adapting to roundabouts and intersections.

Meanwhile, the BYD M9 – a luxury plug-in ‘Super Hybrid’ people mover – scored 75 per cent for Safe Driving, 78 per cent for Crash Avoidance, 89 per cent for Crash Protection, and 100 per cent for Post Crash. 

Naturally, ANCAP praised the M9’s perfect Post Crash score, stating that the model’s post-collision safety features (including functions like eCall and multi-collision braking) are “of a high standard”. 

Lastly, the Xpeng X9 – a direct rival to the BYD M9 – scored 56 per cent for Safe Driving, 82 per cent or Crash Avoidance, 91 per cent for Crash Protection, and 91 per cent for Post Crash. 

ANCAP noted the “very high scores” the X9 achieved in its frontal, side and rear-impact crash tests. These included maximum scores for the driver, passengers and child occupants in both frontal tests. 

As with the Aion UT, though, ANCAP took points off the X9 for relying “too heavily on interaction with the vehicle’s screen interface” for some key driving controls, potentially leading to increased driver distraction. 

“We want to see carmakers bring back buttons for the functions drivers use every day,” said ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg.

“Adjusting your windscreen wipers, switching on your headlights or clearing a fogged-up windscreen should be simple, intuitive and achievable without taking your attention off the road.”

MORE: Explore the GAC Aion UT showroom
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