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C-NCAP Certification for the Chinese Automotive Industry

The constant media dispute over the C-NCAP (China New Car Appraisal Program) does not bother Mr. Zhao Hang at all. As the chief director of the China Automotive Technology Research Center (CATARC), Zhao has gone to great lengths to develop this program, a vehicle crash test known as the “Chinese New Car Safety Assessment Standard.” “Safety, respect for the environment and saving energy, we need to have them all,” he said.

Big brother of the automotive industry

CATARC was originally a research institute that belonged directly to government departments, but has now become a state-owned company to make its own decisions. In addition to helping to set automotive industry policies, CATARC also conducts research on some core automotive technologies, such as partnering with Tianjin FAW Xiali Motor, Hafei Automobile Group, and Yunnan Hongta Group to develop alternative energy cars.

“For every aspect of China’s auto industry, we all have a corresponding service institution. This includes pre-production tasks such as project establishment, factory site selection and factory construction planning, and processes. related to production, such as automotive products, standards, information, testing, certification, establishment of quality systems and staff training. We are also involved in establishing markets, the used car market, automotive financing, car rental and recycling. of scrap vehicles, “Zhao said.

The C-NCAP

Although CATARC has such a broad role, most people are currently interested in its C-NCAP crash test. This controversial test was launched two years ago and there have been many supporters and critics. The controversy is actually what Zhao expected, and he doesn’t even mind posting negative media comments on CATARC’s official website. The fact that many automotive companies are interested in C-NCAP and requesting trial tests has shown that the C-NCAP results have some market merit.

NCAP, or New Car Assessment Program, originated in the US in 1

970, and became more recognized in developed countries such as Japan, Europe, and Australia in the 1990s. A common feature of NCAP is that all test vehicles must be purchased from the market, that is, they must be evaluated by ordinary consumers. It is an independent test for the benefit of consumers, without the intervention of car manufacturers.

“The auto industry in China is big, but few people really understand cars. Common criteria like engine displacement, interior space, and door numbers don’t really matter, what matters is how safe you are sitting in the car. car”. Zhao suggests that the creation of C-NCAP is to provide star ratings on safety, so that there may be a standard for consumers to choose cars. The main objective of conducting C-NCAP testing is to encourage vehicle manufacturers to update their technologies and improve vehicle safety.

“C-NCAP is a new car evaluation program, not just a new car SAFETY evaluation program. Initially, we have to go through crash tests, but then we add other results to establish a systematic evaluation standard for new cars. , including safety, displacement tests and oil consumption “. Zhao said that as China is a large energy user with insufficient power supply, and also due to environmental considerations, it is necessary to conduct oil consumption and displacement tests in the Program.

Industry recognition

C-NCAP can become a guide for Chinese automakers, Zhao said. “Many manufacturers are now designing products for the next 5 or 10 years by referencing C-NCAP. For example, once passenger car fuel consumption limits are given, product designers must follow these limits. In addition, the C-NCAP analytical results, which are based on existing road and traffic accident statistics, will also serve for future standard setting, so this could also be a guide for manufacturers. “

A cooperation agreement with PICC (People’s Insurance Company of China), China’s largest property insurer, was another successful initiative by CATARC. Last year, a PICC sponsored vehicle safety crash test laboratory was opened, and PICC had also provided C-NCAP with $ 2 million in crash test funds. For an independent assessment institution like CATARC, its cooperation partners must lack vested interests, so the country’s # 1 insurer could be an ideal partner.

Despite being an incorporated entity, CATARC is not really run like a company, as many of its projects are non-profit in nature. At the same time, you still have to pay your own operating expenses. The government has set a cap on CATARC earnings, the excess components of which must be withheld for future projects or public causes. So the cooperation with PICC gave CATARC some financial relief.

What kind of vehicle certification system does China need?

Zhao said that there are significant differences between China’s certification system and international ones, in terms of methodologies and organizational management. “China has not yet had a truly formal certification system. The existing rules can only be called an ‘access system’, which only determines whether a particular car model can enter the market. While in developed countries, certifications Governments are based on the three main criteria, namely, safety, respect for the environment and energy saving. “

Let’s take the example of security. China has more than 100,000 deaths from traffic accidents and around 1 million injured. There are only about 200 Chinese cities with more than 1 million inhabitants each, so the number of victims is equivalent to eliminating a medium Chinese city every year. Therefore, it is an urgent task for regulators to solve vehicle safety problems and improve the quality of automobile products.

CATARC plans and writes the national vehicle standards in China. Zhao suggests that China has good and sufficient standards, but not high enough when it comes to enforcement. And there are rules to follow, but not strictly followed. “Competition in the market cannot exist without supervision. Low-price competition has now become a major problem in China’s auto industry as many manufacturers try to cut costs by building drums. Such fierce competition It is detrimental to the industry Many vehicle models can pass the quality certification when they are in the factory, but not when they go abroad, Zhao said.

“Therefore, it is not enough for the automotive industry to only have one access system, and too many certification programs will not be helpful either. We need to strictly monitor the basics, such as vehicle safety, environmental friendliness and savings. of energy, but leave other tasks to the market and consumers. This could be a really effective and realistic method for the industry, “concluded Zhao.

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