At the HERE Directions 2026 in Melbourne, Carla Hoorweg provided an overview of how vehicle safety standards are evolving and what the next generation of assessment protocols will mean for manufacturers, fleets and the broader transport ecosystem. As vehicles become more connected, accurate mapping and continuously updated speed-limit data are emerging as core inputs for the upcoming wave of safety technologies, further shaping how vehicles interpret and respond to the road environment.
Hoorweg, Chief Executive Officer of ANCAP Safety, explained that ANCAP operates as a non-regulatory, voluntary safety program, but its influence on vehicle design and purchasing decisions remains significant. Manufacturers are not required to submit vehicles for testing, however strong demand from fleet buyers and consumers for five-star ratings means most brands actively engage with the program.
“Five stars is not about baseline compliance,” Hoorweg said. “It represents leadership in vehicle safety.”
Fleet procurement policies in Australia and New Zealand commonly require a five-star rating, reinforcing the program’s role in shaping safety outcomes across the market.
New ANCAP protocols for 2026
A key focus of the presentation was the introduction of new ANCAP testing protocols for 2026, which will apply through to 2028. These protocols reflect the rapid pace of change in vehicle technology, particularly in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), connectivity and automation.
Hoorweg explained that ANCAP updates its protocols every three years to ensure safety testing keeps pace with new vehicle capabilities.
From 2026, ANCAP will assess vehicles across four “stages of safety” pillars:
- Safe Driving – technologies that support driver awareness and reduce workload, such as adaptive cruise control and driver monitoring systems.
- Crash Avoidance – systems designed to prevent or mitigate collisions, including autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping support.
- Crash Protection – the traditional crash-test focus on occupant protection during an impact.
- Post-Crash Safety – technologies that assist emergency response after a crash.
The new structure reflects the increasing integration of safety technologies throughout the entire driving experience and reliance on digital map data particularly real-time speed-limit information, to verify whether ADAS systems correctly interpret road rules and assist drivers appropriately, rather than separating safety purely into crash avoidance and crash protection.
Raising the bar for manufacturers
Hoorweg said the 2026 protocols will introduce higher performance thresholds and more comprehensive real-world testing to make safer decisions, ensuring ADAS features are robust across a range of weather, signage quality or lighting conditions.
This includes evaluating how reliably safety systems work across different environmental conditions and scenarios. For example, pedestrian detection assessment will expand to include varied clothing colours and configurations to ensure sensors and cameras respond accurately in realistic situations.
Driver monitoring systems will also face increased scrutiny. Instead of simply checking whether alerts exist, ANCAP will assess whether systems genuinely detect distraction or fatigue and respond effectively.
Another new component is the evaluation of the human-machine interface, measuring how intuitive and usable safety features are for drivers.
“If we point manufacturers in the direction, they tend to respond very quickly,” Hoorweg noted, explaining that early protocol changes encourage improvement without immediately applying heavy penalties.
Location data and connectivity becoming critical
Speaking to an audience that included technology providers, OEMs and fleet operators, Hoorweg emphasised that vehicle safety increasingly depends on high-quality location data and connectivity.
Modern safety systems rely on mapping information, sensor fusion and accurate environmental awareness to interpret speed limits, road conditions and potential hazards.
“Location intelligence, connectivity and AI are transforming the way transport systems operate,” she said. “High-quality mapping and data inputs are becoming essential for vehicles to understand the road environment.”
This trend was particularly relevant to the HERE Directions audience, which focuses on digital mapping, geospatial data and connected mobility technologies.
Implications for fleets
Hoorweg highlighted that the updated protocols will provide a stronger signal for fleet procurement decisions.
With fleets accounting for around 50% of new vehicle purchases in Australia, five-star ratings under the 2026 system will represent a higher benchmark of safety performance.
For Fleet Managers, this will support duty-of-care responsibilities and corporate risk management as vehicles become more technologically complex.
The protocols also come at a time when many fleets are transitioning to electric and connected vehicle platforms, making integrated safety performance even more important.
Post-crash technology and emergency response
One of the most significant changes in the new protocols is the expansion of the post-crash safety pillar, particularly the inclusion of automatic emergency call (eCall) systems.
These systems automatically detect when a crash occurs and contact emergency services or a monitoring centre. The vehicle can transmit detailed information including:
- GPS location
- crash severity and direction
- airbag deployment
- number of occupants
Hoorweg said this data could significantly improve the ability of emergency responders to prepare before arriving at a crash scene.
While eCall has been mandatory in Europe since 2018, Australia and New Zealand have not mandated eCall or public access points. The different emergency call frameworks, means systems will initially connect through third-party monitoring services rather than directly to emergency services.
However, the long-term goal is to create a richer data exchange between vehicles and first responders, improving survival outcomes after serious crashes.
Collaborative approach to safety
Despite ANCAP’s reputation for strict safety standards, Hoorweg emphasised that the organisation works collaboratively with manufacturers, regulators and industry stakeholders.
Feedback from consumers, journalists and fleet operators also plays a role in shaping testing protocols and identifying areas where vehicle systems need improvement.
“Our role is to make sure that as vehicles become smarter, they also become measurably safer,” she said.
The 2026 protocols represent a significant step in that direction, aligning vehicle safety assessment with the rapidly evolving landscape of connected, data-driven mobility.
