The presence of safety features on entry-level vehicles in South Africa is improving, with the majority of vehicles in this category offering moderate to acceptable safety features.

This is according to the 2022 Automobile Association (AA) Entry-Level Vehicle Safety (ELVS) Report, which assesses the available safety features on entry-level vehicles in the domestic market.

The ELVS Report is produced using desktop research, explains the AA.

Thirty-eight vehicles have been included in this year’s report. They are assessed for the safety features stated in the written literature of the vehicles in available printed or online brochures.

The report does not consider the structural integrity of the driver/passenger compartment.

The value threshold for vehicles considered has been raised from previous years, to R270 000.

The 38 vehicles are categorised into three groups, based on their safety ratings.

These categories are Acceptable Safety, Moderate Safety and Poor Safety.

In the 2022 ELVS Report, four vehicles are in the Poor Safety category, 23 in the Moderate Safety category, and 11 in the Acceptable Safety category.

The vehicles in the Poor Safety category are two JMC goods movers, the Mahindra Bolero BMT and the Suzuki Super Carry 1.2 Pick-Up.

“The fact that so many vehicles offer moderate or acceptable safety is extremely encouraging and indicates that manufacturers are taking the presence of critical vehicle safety equipment seriously,” says the AA.

“This is a good trend, and we hope to see even fewer vehicles in the poor category in the years ahead.

“The purpose of the research is to provide consumers with a starting point for vehicle purchases – be it new or second hand,” adds the AA.

“We point out what safety features are stated as being available on these vehicles and urge consumers to consider these a priority as part of their decision-making process.”

The association emphasises that its research does not provide a definitive measure of a vehicle’s safety, as this can only be determined through crash testing.

Call for Mandatory Safety Features
The 38 vehicles surveyed for the 2022 ELVS Report were evaluated against the number of active safety features they have, namely antilock braking systems (ABSs) and electronic stability control (ESC), as well as passive safety features, namely airbags.

Points are awarded for the existence of each active and passive safety feature.

Additional points are awarded to vehicles crash-tested under the NCAP system, in this case the Global NCAP’s #SaferCarsforAfrica programme.

Of the 38 vehicles researched in 2022, 34 are equipped with ABS and 33 with driver and passenger airbags.

Only seven of the vehicles researched have ESC.

The least common safety feature is curtain airbags (no vehicles) and side airbags (only one vehicle).

In 2019, the AA supported the #StopTheCrash partnership to demonstrate the effectiveness of, among other technologies, ESC and ABS.

Life-Saving Technologies

The technologies which were showcased have the potential to save thousands of lives every year, and the United Nations is encouraging countries around the world to mandate these life-saving technologies.

“The inclusion of these safety features protects motorists – it’s as simple as that,” says the AA.

“The inclusion of ESC, for instance, must be considered more seriously by manufacturers, as this is proven technology which can reduce road crashes. {We reiterate our call that this technology come as standard for entry-level vehicles available in South Africa.”