Five Stars: The New Audi A6 in the Euro NCAP

The new Audi A6 achieved the top rating in the Euro NCAP, scoring on all relevant criteria: protection of adult passengers, child safety, pedestrian safety, and driver assistance systems. The actively supporting safety systems — which include automatic emergency braking systems for city traffic and for highways—are included in the overall NCAP assessment with a weighting of 20%.

In the new Audi A6, a large number of assist systems make driving even safer, more convenient and more relaxing. The standard Audi pre sense front system helps avoid collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Another highlight is the adaptive cruise assist, which enhances the adaptive cruise control with a lane guidance function over the entire speed range and with the traffic jam assist. An ideal upgrade for it is the efficiency assist. This brakes and accelerates the vehicle predictively by analyzing Car-to-X information, sensor information and navigation data as well as traffic signs.

Behind the assistance systems in the new Audi A6 is a portfolio of sensors that ideally complement one another in terms of their respective properties. All sensor data are incorporated in the central driver assistance controller (zFAS), which continuously generates a differentiated image of the surroundings. As a result of this central data fusion, the assist systems work even more precisely than in the previous model.

The new Audi A6 is also tops when it comes to passenger protection. Its body consists of an intelligent mix of aluminum and steel, with hot-stamped steel components forming the ultra-high-strength backbone in the passenger compartment. With its high rigidity, the body lays the foundations for the vehicle’s high crash safety, sporty and precise handling and acoustic comfort on board.

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), launched in 1997, is a program for assessing the safety of passenger cars. It is supported by a consortium of European transport ministries, automobile clubs, insurance associations and research institutes. Twelve institutions from eight European countries are involved. Almost all new vehicles are tested and rated on their passive and active safety in the Euro NCAP. The program’s extensive test requirements considerably exceed the applicable standards required under European legislation.