BYD’s £38,000 Atto 3 electric SUV has received the worst possible ratings for one of its assisted driving features from a leading automotive safety body.
Euro NCAP tested the Chinese electric car’s suite of tech and issued a ‘Not Recommended’ rating for one feature in particular – the lowest possible score it could give any new model.
It’s the first time any assistance system has been awarded such a lowly rating since it began testing this type of technology in 2020. Here’s why it scored so poorly…
Vehicle safety organisation Euro NCAP has given the £38k BYD Atto 3 a ‘Not Recommended’ rating for one of its assisted driving features – the lowest possible score. We explain why…
The Atto 3 family SUV was launched in the UK in 2023 by the Chinese car giant BYD
According to Euro NCAP, the BYD Atto 3’s Intelligence Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) failed to ‘interpret road signs correctly’ and ‘scored modestly in Assistance Competence’.
The latter refers to the system’s ability to balance between driver engagement and the level of vehicle assistance provided.
But the biggest problem identified was its lack of ‘Safety Backup’,
Euro NCAP said the technology failed to take control adequately in the scenario of an unresponsive driver being met with a road obstacle.
The body explained that ‘in this critical scenario, the system effectively switches off steering support after a prolonged period of inactivity whilst maintaining speed control – leaving an unresponsive driver to his or her fate’.
This garnered the Atto 3 zero points out of 25 in the ‘Unresponsive Driver Intervention’ test, while it also received ‘Weak’ and ‘Adequate’ results in the System Failure and Collision Avoidance categories respectively when tested.
So far, no other car has been awarded this ‘Not Recommended’ score since Euro NCAP began testing assisted-driving tech back in 2020.
However, the Atto 3, which was released in the UK in March 2023 and today costs from £37,695, has already previously been assessed for crash safety by the organisation in 2022 and received a five-star rating (the highest star rating possible).
Euro NCAP explained on Friday that the overall test conducted two years ago did not fully review the car’s assisted driving features in-depth.
However, in 2026, the safety body will more closely scrutinise these systems as part of its an overhaul on how it reviews new model safety.
According to Euro NCAP, the BYD Atto 3’s Intelligence Adaptive Cruise Control ‘didn’t interpret road signs correctly’ and only ‘scored modestly in Assistance Competence’
The safety organisation body that the system ‘effectively switches off steering support after a prolonged period of inactivity whilst maintaining speed control – leaving an unresponsive driver to his or her fate’
The BYD was one of five models to have their assisted driving features assessed most recently.
The electric BMW i5 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (ICE) were issued ‘Very Good’ rating, while two other EVs – the Volkswagen ID.7 EV and Volvo EC40 – were given ‘Good’ gradings.
The Atto 3 isn’t the first electric car to receive an eyebrow-raising low score when tested by Euro NCAP.
In 2021, the body carried out a review of the Dacia Spring – the UK’s cheapest new EV – and issued a lowly one-star safety rating.
It scored 49 per cent for adult occupancy, 56 per cent for child occupancy, 39 per cent for vulnerable road users and 32 per cent for safety assist.
This is Money has contacted BYD regarding Euro NCAP’s latest test result.
The Chinese brand has declined to comment.
