Skip advert
Advertisement

Zero-star safety scores lead to pleas for GM to improve its South American cars

Global NCAP has written a letter to General Motors, asking for safety improvements following a record of zero-star ratings

Road safety, crash test dummy

A series of zero-star ratings in crash tests for some of Latin America’s best selling vehicles has prompted Global NCAP – a vehicle safety organisation working with governments and regional new car assessment programmes (NCAP) – to write to General Motors CEO, Mary Barra. In the letter Global NCAP asks the US car giant to improve the safety of the cars it sells in Latin America.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The letter follows yet another zero star rating for one of the popular GM cars sold in Latin America, the Chevrolet Sail. A lack of airbags and other key safety requirements like seatbelt pretensioners resulted in the Sail receiving the same low safety rating as one of the best selling cars in Mexico, the Chevrolet Aveo.

Safest cars on sale now

When sold in Europe, the Aveo came with a set of airbags and scored a two-star rating in its Euro NCAP test. However, in Latin America the Aveo is sold with no airbags as standard.

According to the letter, the Aveo’s body shell becomes unstable in a crash, something GM has known for at least 10 years, and without any airbags the “Aveo will have a high risk of fatal injury in a frontal crash test at 40mph.”

Quadricycle crash tests prompt safety fears

GM isn’t the only manufacturer under scrutiny. Similarly woeful safety test scores can be found across other carmakers in Latin America, which is why Global NCAP is asking for better global safety standards.

General Motors has since stated it will phase out cars without airbags and other safety measurements, and spend $5billion (£3.52billion) in developing safer cars for the emerging markets.

The company said: “GM shares the goal of improving road safety worldwide, including the adoption of basic auto safety standards in global markets and the phase-out of zero-star cars.”

Find out more about Euro NCAP and its crash tests here...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars will now pay £10 more per year, although the biggest gas guzzlers fare even worse
28 Mar 2024
‘Secret’ UK courts are fast-tracking speeding fines say magistrates
Speed camera van window
News

‘Secret’ UK courts are fast-tracking speeding fines say magistrates

New guidance from Magistrates’ Association calls for reform and aims to expose ‘secret’ Single Justice Procedure system
26 Mar 2024
Low on stock: Only 1-in-10 UK supermarkets offer electric car charging
Polestar 2 and LEVC TX connected to Sainsburys EV chargers
News

Low on stock: Only 1-in-10 UK supermarkets offer electric car charging

A survey by Zap-Map and the RAC reveals only 13% of supermarkets are equipped with EV chargers, despite a 59% increase in the past year
22 Mar 2024
Mis-sold car finance scandal: could you be due compensation?
Missold car finance
News

Mis-sold car finance scandal: could you be due compensation?

Did you buy a car on finance between April 2007 and January 2021? You could be owed thousands!
21 Mar 2024

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars will now pay £10 more per year, although the biggest gas guzzlers fare even worse
28 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in
Skoda Enyaq iV - front cornering
News

Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in

Skoda’s family-friendly EV with 348-mile range is our Car Deal of the Day for 26 March
26 Mar 2024