Interview: Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General, Euro NCAP

For more than two decades, Euro NCAP has been acting as a catalyst for automotive safety advances in Europe. Its independent crash tests and assessment protocols help arm consumers with the information they need to make informed purchase decisions. They also encourage automakers to step up their safety game. The impact has been huge, with the agency estimating that it has helped save 76,000 lives over the years. It's not quite Vision Zero, but it's a start.

Euro NCAP is constantly evolving its processes in light of rapid technology advancement. Its Road Map 2025 came out in 2017, setting forth a timeline for the launch of key protocol enhancements. For instance, next year will see some significant changes as driver monitoring, automatic emergency steering, autonomous emergency braking and other new technologies are incorporated into the star rating system. The safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs) is also coming under the spotlight. As Euro NCAP's Secretary General Michiel van Ratingen explains, there is nothing static about safety assessment.