To prove that there is a double standard in car safety that are sold in Latin America compared to their equivalents for more demanding markets such as the United States, Global NCAP presented results of a “car to car” test.
It consisted of crashing two cars of the same brand with similar characteristics but sold in different markets. On the one hand, the Hyundai Grand i10 sedan sold in Mexico (made in India)and on the other the Hyundai Accent which is sold in the United States (produced in Mexico). In this way, the comparison involves the two cheapest sedans that the Korean brand offers in two different countries.
When it comes to safety equipment, differences already appear, since the Mexican Accent has six airbags and standard traction and stability controls. Meanwhile, the Indian i10 marketed in Mexico and other Latin American countries only has two airbags and no ESP.
The protection offered by the Accent to its driver during the crash test was good and the model showed stable structure. The Grand i10 showed unstable structure and poor protection for the driver, with a high probability of life-threatening injuries. The Hyundai sold in Mexico would have earned a zero star rating in the Latin NCAP tests.
In this regard, Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said: “This test is a wake-up call for consumers, regulators and vehicle manufacturers. All consumers, no matter where they live, have the right to receive the same level of security in their cars. The cross-border security breach should no longer exist. We call on manufacturers to stop double standard strategies in the world.”
For his part, David Ward, President of the Towards Zero Foundation and Global NCAP, stressed that it is very disappointing to see so much difference in car safety between Mexico and the United Statesand that one of the main reasons is the “lobby” of the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry to delay the application of the UN’s minimum safety standards in cars.
It should be noted that this happened first for the frontal crash tests, lateral and ESP and now also in the pedestrian protection test. “The double standard in vehicle safety is too often a bargaining chip for auto industry associations. And that is why this week’s UN High-Level Meeting in New York must send a clear message to the auto industry to stop your delaying tactics and enforce the most important vehicle safety standards around the world,” said Ward.
Finally, Stephan Brodziak, President of the Board of Directors of Latin NCAP, also showed his concern about this situation that has been going on for several years. The executive admitted that it hurts him to witness the terrible double standard with which part of the automotive industry operates in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
In turn, he stressed that a possible solution to this problem is a vehicle safety label that alerts users and consumers about the risks of low security carssomething that is a big pending for the Latin American car market to mature.
“This will allow us to move to a commercial logic that inserts the automotive industry established in our countries in a competition for the safety performance offered that goes beyond the regulatory framework of a country”, he concluded.
He was born in 1995 and is a journalist. He learned to drive at age 12 in a five-door 2004 VW Gol diesel. He had his first car when he was 19 years old and it was another VW Gol, but with a gasoline engine. He currently owns a 2011 Gol Trend, although his passion is 1990s Japanese sports cars (Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline, etc).
Since July 2014 he has been fully dedicated to the world of engines. He joined the staff of Motorpress Argentina in September 2020 and since then he has been working as a content editor for the website and paper for Auto Test magazine.