Testing times ahead: Thatcham’s director of research Andrew Miller

“If there is a cost-effective or an expensive way to tackle the same problem, we want the costeffective way”

Since its launch in 1997, Euro NCAP’s focus has been on passive safety and the protection of vehicle occupants and other road users in the event of a crash. But, it is now extending its horizons to embrace active safety and, in the future, vehicles will undergo tests to rate their accident-avoidance mechanisms. Thatcham’s director of research, Andrew Miller, says: “Euro NCAP has raised the safety bar that vehicle manufacturers have to meet. There are synergies between the work of Euro NCAP and our work. Insurers want to stop vehicles crashing and reduce insurance claims. “Safety is absolutely paramount and I don’t want that compromised, but if there is a cost-effective or an expensive way to tackle the same problem, we want the cost-effective way because it is our job to reflect ownership costs.”

He adds: “Euro NCAP is having more and more influence with manufacturers, with star ratings improving from two and three stars for occupant protection to four and five stars. “Similarly, we have seen our influence growing and growing and we are having more and more conversations with manufacturers. It was, therefore, important for us to get on board with Euro NCAP to give the insurance industry a voice.”

The Centre, which is widely known as Thatcham, was established by the British insurance industry in 1969 and has become an international centre of excellence. Its main aim is to carry out research targeted at containing or reducing the cost of motor insurance claims while maintaining safety standards. Also included within its portfolio of services is vehicle security testing. Manufacturers often consult Thatcham on design features in the pre-production phase of a vehicle to enable the development of models that are both safe and easy to repair. Working with a manufacturer from a vehicle’s concept stage, Thatcham is able to advise manufacturers on how to develop a vehicle that suffers limited damage in an accident and is more cost effective to repair.

With Thatcham’s help, vehicle manufacturers have been able to optimise design features that enhance a vehicle’s low-speed crash performance, and develop economic repair procedures that are reflected in a vehicle’s insurance groupings. To keep repairers and insurers informed of the latest vehicle construction techniques and materials, Thatcham develops and innovates new vehicle repair processes – in conjunction and agreement with vehicle manufacturers – which reflect these changes, ensuring cost-effective alternatives are available.

Whiplash is the most common form of motor accident injury, with more than 200,000 British motorists injured annually. Of those people, about 2,000 receive some form of permanent disability. Whiplash occurs in low speed rear impacts and is made worse by badly-designed and poorly-adjusted head restraints, and costs insurers about £1.6bn annually (Roadsafe: winter 2003/04).

With whiplash claims rocketing, insurance companies, which fund Thatcham’s work, called for research to be undertaken in a bid to contain and hopefully reduce the rising cost of payouts. The result was vehicle whiplash ratings, which can be accessed at www.thatcham.org. In the near future, whiplash ratings will be incorporated into Euro NCAP.

Euro NCAP is also developing protocols to test a vehicle’s straight line braking, and future areas of testing are set to include vehicle ergonomics and collision avoidance devices.

“Our strategy is to explore innovative and commercially responsible ways of reducing the cost of all claims”

Thatcham Chief Executive Peter Roberts says the organisation’s ongoing success will translate directly into benefits and that means value for money for the insurance and motor repair industries as innovative thinking and the results of research continue to be incorporated into vehicle design and repair as new ways are found to cut the cost of claims. It will also make a difference to every car owner by keeping down premiums as the organisation finds ways to cut the cost of accident repairs.

Mr Roberts says: “We can help to push down the wider cost of insurance claims. Our strategy is to explore innovative and commercially responsible ways of reducing the cost of all claims.”

Vehicle structures, says Mr Miller, are changing quickly because of the introduction of new materials such as high-strength steels that add stiffness to vehicles, aluminium bodies and components that reduce vehicle weight, the increased use of sophisticated electronic systems which can be expensive to repair if damaged in a crash and stiffer bumpers that mean vehicles don’t bump as well. The use of high-strength steel, for example, while giving vehicle occupants increased protection in the event of a crash, adds to the cost of repair.

“It is important that in developing new technologies manufacturers understand the constraints for best practice repair,” says Mr Miller. “Increases in vehicle stiffness have a negative impact on whiplash and bumper performance. “With the introduction of new technology, there must be a focus on repair costs. Our duty is to remind vehicle manufacturers about repairability and the work we are doing will influence developments. There must be a balance between improving safety and keeping repair costs under control.”