Vehicle safety expectations are changing fast, and fleets across Australia and New Zealand need to keep up. Each year, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) raises the bar with tougher rating criteria.

A 5-star rating in 2023 isn’t the same as a 5-star rating in 2018 - and as new protocols arrive in 2026, the gap will be even bigger.

For fleet operators, understanding these updates is critical. Outdated ratings or non-compliant vehicles could put drivers at risk and undermine organisational safety policies.

Why ANCAP Ratings Matter

As the independent vehicle safety authority for Australia and New Zealand, ANCAP assigns star ratings that reflect both crash protection and crash avoidance. These ratings help buyers, fleet managers, and government agencies make informed choices about which vehicles are safest for drivers, passengers, and other road users.

Importantly, ratings don’t last forever. Since 2023, ANCAP has applied a six-year validity period, meaning older vehicles can “expire” out of compliance even if they once held a 5-star badge. This shift is especially relevant for fleets with large pools of vehicles that may remain in service for years.

Key Updates from 2023–2025 Standards

The most recent ANCAP protocols (in effect until 2025) expanded safety testing in several important areas:

• Vulnerable Road Users: New requirements for detecting cyclists and motorcyclists, with advanced emergency braking to prevent collisions.
• Child Presence Detection: Technology that triggers an alert if a child is left unattended in a locked vehicle.
• Flood Resilience: Electric windows and door locks must continue functioning for up to two minutes if a vehicle is submerged - critical for flood-prone regions in Australia and New Zealand.
• Crash Compatibility: Vehicles are now penalised if their design poses increased risks to occupants in other vehicles during a crash.
• Pedestrian Protection: Enhanced impact testing for more realistic collision scenarios.

These additions recognise real-world risks and expand ANCAP’s focus beyond traditional crash tests.

What’s Coming in 2026

From January 2026, ANCAP will introduce a new test structure with four “Stages of Safety”:

1. Safe Driving – Evaluating driver distraction, including touchscreen usability.
2. Crash Avoidance – Measuring how well the vehicle prevents collisions.
3. Crash Protection – Traditional occupant protection during impacts.
4. Post-Crash Safety – Covering scenarios like battery de-energisation in EVs and safe occupant extraction.

The future testing roadmap through 2030 is publicly available on ANCAP's official protocols page.

This broader framework reflects the increasing role of technology and usability in overall road safety. For fleets, it means vehicle procurement decisions must account for more than just airbags and seatbelts - connectivity, sensors, and software will all play a role.

What Fleet Managers Should Do Now

• Check rating validity: Confirm that all vehicles in your fleet hold a current ANCAP rating within the six-year window.
• Plan for stricter standards: When refreshing your fleet, prioritise vehicles tested under the most recent 2023–2025 protocols.
• Prepare for 2026: Start factoring in the new “Stages of Safety” to avoid surprises in future procurement.
• Balance fleet mix: Where EV adoption is part of your strategy, ensure safety systems are compatible with both EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

Why Staying Current Matters

A vehicle that was 5-star rated in 2016 would not achieve the same rating today. By keeping up with ANCAP’s evolving standards, you not only improve driver and passenger safety but also strengthen your organisation’s compliance, reputation, and risk management.

For fleets, safety isn’t static - and neither are ANCAP ratings. Now is the time to review, refresh, and realign your fleet strategy with the standards that will define the road ahead.