Fiat CEO questions value of independent crash-test ratings
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 05:31 · Archive
Fiat's new chief executive says independent vehicle safety ratings confuse rather than help consumers.
Arnaud Belloni, appointed Fiat CEO in August 2026, has questioned the value of independent vehicle safety testing. Speaking to Autocar, he said the latest safety ratings from the European New Car Assessment Programme confuse consumers who believe new cars are inherently safe. Mr Belloni cited the changing protocols as the problem: 'What was a five-star car a few years ago becomes a three-star car, and then a two.'
Euro NCAP updates its testing protocols every three years to keep pace with advances in automotive safety technology. The latest protocols cover vehicles assessed from 2026 to 2028 and have largely been adopted by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), with only minor differences between the two organisations' criteria. The BMW iX3 electric SUV was the first model assessed under the new requirements, achieving a five-star rating.
Both organisations apply six-year rating validity periods. Once a rating expires, vehicles become officially unrated unless reassessed. The Australian Toyota Corolla provides an example: its five-star rating from 2018 testing expired at the end of 2024, making examples built from January 1, 2025, unrated despite being the same model.
How it is being reported
- Independent vehicle safety testing "not important", says major automaker's CEOThe new Fiat chief says European crash-test safety ratings – also used in Australia – confuse consumers who trust that new cars are inherently safe.The West Australian · 19 Oct, 05:07
- Independent vehicle safety testing "not important", says major automaker's CEOThe new Fiat chief says European crash-test safety ratings – also used in Australia – confuse consumers who trust that new cars are inherently safe.Perth Now · 19 Oct, 05:05
In this story: Arnaud Belloni · Fiat · Euro NCAP · ANCAP · BMW · Toyota
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