BYD Atto 3 given worst Euro NCAP driver-assistance score ever

The BYD Atto 3 SUV has just received the worst Euro NCAP score ever for one of its driver-assistance functions, with safety experts advising drivers to use it at their own risk.

In its latest batch of safety tests, Euro NCAP gave the BYD Atto 3’s ‘Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control’ system a ‘Not Recommended’ rating – the lowest grading it offers when it comes to testing driver-assistance systems and one that hasn’t been awarded until now.

Euro NCAP says the reason for the Atto 3’s incredibly low score was its system’s seeming inability to take control in the scenario of an unresponsive driver being met with a road obstacle. The experts state that “in this critical scenario, the system effectively switches off steering support after a prolonged period of inactivity whilst maintaining speed control – leaving an unresponsive driver to his or her fate.”

The lack of a reaction garnered the Atto 3 zero points out of 25 in the Unresponsive Driver Intervention test, with it only clawing back ‘Weak’ and ‘Adequate’ results in the System Failure and Collision Avoidance categories respectively. BYD’s systems also struggled in Euro NCAP’s tests to identify traffic signs, scoring a “modest” 55 per cent for Vehicle Assistance.

With the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes C-Class both achieving top-scoring ‘Very Good’ status after undergoing identical tests at the same time as the BYD, Euro NCAP’s technical manager, Adriano Palao Bernal, said the results “provide consumers with critical insights into the Assisted Driving features available in today's vehicles.”

Bernal continued, warning drivers interested in driver-assistance tech that “whilst it enables a comfortable driving experience, it has flaws under certain conditions and may create new risks when misused – hence driver supervision and situational awareness must be ensured at all times while operating these systems.”

BYD has refused to comment, however, the firm has told Euro NCAP that the driver-assistance systems in its newer models (such as the Dolphin and Seal) employ more advanced technology, although it remains unclear whether this would impact the results of the test.

The BYD Atto 3 underwent Euro NCAP’s crash testing programme in 2022 and was awarded a five-star safety rating. Auto Express asked Euro NCAP why a car with a top safety score can simultaneously be given a ‘Not Recommended’ status for one of its safety systems; the organisation said that its current rating system doesn’t account for its in-depth Assisted Driving tests, only acknowledging whether such driver-assistance systems are present. This is set to change in 2026, when a new rating scheme will be introduced.

Euro NCAP began testing driver assistance systems all the way back in 2020, introducing new tests in 2024 to account for local hazards and road features (roundabouts etc.), as well as motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users.

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