The majority of vehicles in this category offer moderate to adequate safety features, showing an improvement in the inclusion of safety features on entry-level vehicles.
This is supported by the 2022 Automobile Association (AA) Entry-Level Vehicle Safety Report (ELVS), which evaluates the safety equipment of locally obtainable entry-level automobiles.
A desktop research methodology is used to compile the ELVS Report.
The value barrier for automobiles is now R270 000, up from prior years.
This year’s Report includes 38 automobiles that are evaluated for the safety features listed in the vehicle literature found in printed or online brochures.
The driver/passenger compartment’s structural integrity is not taken into account in the report.
Based on their safety ratings, the 38 cars are divided into three groups.
There are three levels of safety: acceptable, moderate, and poor. Four cars are classified as having Poor Safety in the ELVS Report for 2022, 23 are classified as having Moderate Safety, and 11 are classified as having Acceptable Safety.
20 or less true safety points are regarded as having “poor” safety when calculating true safety points.
It is possible to classify safety points between 20 and 50 as having “moderate” safety, and safety points of 50 or more as having “acceptable” safety.
The fact that there are so many vehicles with a moderate or acceptable level of safety is very promising and shows that manufacturers are actively considering the presence of essential vehicle safety equipment.
This is a positive trend, and the AA hopes to see even fewer cars in the subpar category in the years to come.
The high number of annual road fatalities in South Africa and the rising number of vehicles there give backdrop for the establishment of the ELVS.
The nation reported 12541 traffic fatalities in 2021.
According to official statistics from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), there are currently 11 726 476 vehicles registered in the nation, of which just over 7.6 million are motor vehicles and just over 2.6 million are LDVs/Bakkies.
The goal of the study is to give consumers a place to start when making new or used vehicle purchases.
We highlight the safety features that are advertised as being available on these cars and encourage buyers to give them top consideration when making a choice.
Nevertheless, the Association emphasizes that this research does not offer a conclusive assessment of a vehicle’s safety, which can only be made through crash testing.
“However, the information provided in the ELVS gives a hint as to a vehicle’s safety features.
A comprehensive road safety education program and improved road safety management are required in the country, as indicated by the vast car population and the high number of traffic fatalities in the nation.
They also emphasize the necessity for buyers to put safety first when choosing their vehicles.
The ELVS Report need to act as the foundation for their investigation, advises the AA.
The amount of active safety features (anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, etc.) and passive safety features in the 38 vehicles assessed for the 2022 ELVS Report were compared (airbags).
For each active and passive safety feature a vehicle has, points are given to it.
Vehicles crash tested under the NCAP system, in this case Global NCAP’s #SaferCarsforAfrica campaign, are given extra points.
34 of the 38 vehicles under investigation in 2022 have anti-lock braking systems (ABS), and 33 have driver and passenger airbags.
Only seven of the investigated vehicles have electronic stability control, despite this promising result (ESC).
Curtain airbags and side airbags were the least prevalent safety features (no vehicles had them) (only one vehicle).
The AA supported the #StopTheCrash alliance in 2019 to show how effective ESC and ABS, among other technologies, are.
The technologies presented have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives annually, and the UN has created worldwide standards to encourage nations to make these life-saving technologies mandatory.
It’s that simple: By having these safety features, drivers are protected.
Manufacturers need to take more seriously the incorporation of technologies like ESC, which has been shown to lower traffic accidents.
We reaffirm our demand that this technology be included as standard equipment for entry-level cars sold in South Africa, according to the AA.
The AA points out that this is only desk research and that crash testing is the only reliable method of determining a vehicle’s level of safety.
The Nissan NP300, which is comparable to the Datsun Go+, would have received great marks in this study but received zero stars in the Global NCAP crash tests.
The information provided here should not be regarded as the only indicator of a vehicle’s overall safety rating but rather as a guide to its safety features.
Index of Safety/Affordability
The ELVS Report scores the cars only on their safety features and gives them real safety points, but it also weighs budget versus safety.
In this instance, a vehicle’s safety feature score is compared to its price to determine a safety/affordability score.
The Index can be used as a reference to comprehend the “Affordability of Safety” claim made about various automobiles.
In this report, a score of four points or more is considered to be “acceptable safety/affordability,” a score between three and three and a half points is considered to be “moderate safety/affordability,” and a score of two and a half points or less is considered to be “poor safety/affordability.”
Five vehicles in the “acceptable safety/affordability” category, eight in the “moderate safety/affordability” category, and 25 in the “bad safety/affordability” category will be available in 2022.
The ELVS Report contains a detailed explanation of the Affordability/Safety Index and the formulas used to determine the results.