Volvo Trucks get five star rating

In a historic first, the European consumer testing organisation Euro NCAP has evaluated the safety of extra-heavy commercial trucks, with Volvo Trucks' flagship models — the Volvo FH and Volvo FM — achieving the top rating of five stars, with the Volvo FM achieving the highest overall score among all tested trucks.

The Volvo FH and FM Aero models excelled across all safety metrics, earning the prestigious City Safe award, which recognises vehicles designed to protect vulnerable road users in urban environments.

“This remarkable achievement confirms Volvo Trucks’ leadership in safety,” said Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks. “Safety is one of our core values and has been a cornerstone of our heritage since the company’s inception. With every new product, we push the boundaries to make our trucks even safer.”

Setting a New Benchmark for Truck Safety

Euro NCAP’s five-star rating underscores Volvo Trucks’ exemplary performance in key areas such as driver support and collision avoidance, enhancing safety for both drivers and road users. The City Safe criteria further highlight the Volvo FM and FH's superior visibility and active safety systems, crucial for navigating urban traffic.

Anna Wrige Berling, Volvo Trucks’ Director of Traffic and Product Safety, emphasised the broader impact of these results. “This recognition validates our commitment to exceeding legal safety standards as we strive towards a future with zero accidents involving our trucks. Euro NCAP ratings will not only help customers make informed decisions but also encourage manufacturers to innovate continuously.”

Global Safety Standards Reflect Volvo’s Commitment

Volvo Trucks extends these safety innovations globally, including in South Africa, where the same rigorous standards apply despite differing local regulations. By investing in advanced safety systems and training, the company aims to enhance road safety and protect all road users.

Euro NCAP, established in 1996 and headquartered in Belgium, is renowned for setting the safety benchmark for passenger vehicles across Europe. With its first foray into heavy commercial vehicles, the organisation assessed trucks across three key areas:

- Safe driving: Including driver monitoring, vision systems, and speed assistance.
- Collision avoidance: Evaluating performance in avoiding crashes with cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, as well as low-speed manoeuvring and lane departure incidents.
- Post-crash readiness: Focusing on rescue information and emergency response.

Euro NCAP plans to expand its truck testing criteria to include crash protection and vehicles across different transport segments, further raising the bar for safety standards.

Volvo Trucks’ success in these inaugural tests underscores its dedication to road safety and innovation, setting a new benchmark for the global trucking industry.

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Africa Automotive: Aligning leadership with decarbonisation goals

The final event of the 2024 CEO Breakfast series took place onrecently at the Expo Centre in Nasrec, Johannesburg, marking the opening day of the 2024 editions of Automechanika Johannesburg and Futuroad Expo.

The event, led by Andile Africa, CEO of the Automotive Industry Development Centre, began with an opening address from Michael Johannes, Vice President of Mobility and Logistics at Messe Frankfurt.

Johannes spoke about the rapidly evolving automotive aftermarket sector and the critical role that Automechanika plays in keeping the industry at the forefront of technological advancements. He emphasized the need for ongoing training and education, ensuring that industry professionals stay ahead of innovations in products, technologies, and systems.

Duncan Mutengwe, Acting CEO of the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), provided a comprehensive overview of compliance in the automotive sector. He highlighted the importance of adhering to international safety standards as the industry embraces new technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced safety systems like automatic emergency braking and collision avoidance.

Mutengwe also discussed the future of autonomous driving, noting that this emerging trend will necessitate further safety regulations. He outlined the NRCS's process for ensuring vehicle safety, including manufacturer registration, testing, certification, and final approval.

Victor Radebe, Chief Director of Programme Management in the office of the Gauteng Premier, offered valuable insights into the provincial government's involvement with the automotive and fleet industries.

Radebe emphasized sustainability and innovation as key pillars guiding the government’s policy decisions. He highlighted the collaboration between Uber and Chinese automaker BYD to deploy 100 000 electric vehicles, showcasing the potential of industry partnerships to drive the future of EV adoption. He also pointed out that fleet managers will need to rethink their strategies, as electric vehicles are transforming fleet management into a data-driven, IoT-based model.

Greg Cress, Principal Director of Automotive and eMobility at Accenture South Africa, addressed the growing pressure on fleet managers to adapt to decarbonisation and the rise of electric vehicles. Drawing from an Accenture survey of 450 senior fleet managers worldwide, Cress outlined five strategies for successfully transitioning fleets to electric vehicles.

These included accepting the uncertainty of the business case, aligning leadership with decarbonisation goals, and piloting EV programs to overcome hesitation. He stressed the importance of convincing management boards of the financial viability of decarbonisation and recommended focusing on fleet electrification, conducting feasibility studies, and leveraging EV data to improve efficiencies.

Lunga Qegu, Head of Sales Development at Investec for Business, spoke on the positive economic trends emerging in South Africa, particularly the growth of the EV sector. He shared how Investec is assisting businesses with operational efficiency, highlighting the bank's expertise in importation and freight forwarding. Qegu also noted a noticeable increase in the importation of battery and electrical technology, indicating the continued growth of the sector and a broader move toward decarbonisation.

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