Volvo FH Aero and Volvo FM top new truck safety chart with five-star ratings

The safety tests on the nine trucks were carried out on behalf of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which has extended its safety testing remit to trucks for the first time. The results were announced today (20 November).

Of the other seven trucks rated by Euro NCAP, the Scania G-Series 2025 and the Renault Trucks T series 2025 both gained four-star safety ratings, while the Scania R series 2025, the Mercedes-Benz Actros L 2024 and the DAF XF 2025 were awarded three stars.

All nine trucks selected for testing were 4 x 2s and represent 95% of the trucks in the long-haul category currently on Europe’s roads. Euro NCAP plans to extend the trial to other truck segments in the future.

The assessment focused on three elements. These were safe driving, which looked at occupant monitoring, driver engagement, vision and vehicle assistance; crash avoidance, which studies ADAS performance in avoiding frontal, lane change, and low-speed manoeuvring collisions; and post crash, which assessed rescue information and ease of extrication during the ‘golden hour’ after an incident.

The trucks were also evaluated for their safety in an urban setting, which saw just four of the nine trucks being awarded the Euro NCAP CitySafe accreditation. These were Volvo’s FH Aero and FM models, the DAF XF and the Scania G models.

Euro NCAP’s report rated the Volvo FH Aero is “an excellent safe choice” for fleets. The report stated: “The direct vision is good, helped by the availability of CMS and its aero inclined front. Combined with very good assistance systems this produces a very good Safe Driving score.

“It achieves a very good score in collision avoidance, with every system Euro NCAP assess being available including automated braking to protect cyclists where trucks turn across their path.

“As a Highway truck its good direct vision combined with very good AEB for vulnerable road users also earns the Volvo FH Aero our CitySafe award alongside its 5 stars, making it an excellent choice Volvo for operations that require occasional city deliveries.”

The report said the Volvo FM, which also scored five stars, was tested as a partner to the FH Aero but offered a lower cab to improve vision. Nonetheless the tests found its direct vision to be “very good” aided by the availability of CMS, which combined with good assistance systems produced a “very good” Safe Driving score.

The report added: “It achieves a very good score in collision avoidance, with every system Euro NCAP assess being available including automated braking to protect cyclists where trucks turn across their path.

“As an all rounder its very good direct vision combined with very good AEB for vulnerable road users earns the Volvo FM a 5-star rating and also achieves our CitySafe award, making it an excellent Volvo choice for combined city and highway operations.”

Turning to the assessment of the Iveco S-WAY, Euro NCAP said that since Iveco had declined to provide it with a vehicle to test, it tested and rated Iveco’s “most recent, well specified vehicle available”.

The report added: “The manufacturer informs us that it is not representative of the safety performance of their latest generation vehicle that complies with GSR2 regulations but first deliveries of those were not expected to be available until the end of 2024.

“As tested, the Iveco S-WAY offers marginal direct vision and few of the ADAS that Euro NCAP considers in its rating, resulting in its disappointing one-star rating.”

Commenting on the results, Euro NCAP said: “The threat HGVs pose because of their size and weight, makes HGV crashes the most severe on European roads. Although trucks account for less than 3% of the traffic fleet in Europe, they are responsible for 15% of accident fatalities.

“Furthermore, only 11% of casualties in accidents involving HGVs are truck occupants. The remaining 89% are car and van occupants, as well as vulnerable road users.

The organisation added: “Objective measures of HGV safety performance will allow all stakeholders that rely on the haulage sector to select the safest trucks and play a part in reducing the societal cost of road transport, while also helping to generate better commercial outcomes.

“The Truck Safe programme will unify road authorities, hauliers, drivers, insurers, truck manufacturers themselves and the brands and companies who want their goods shipped safely around common and harmonised best practice.”

Volvo welcomed the Euro NCAP results. Roger Alm, Volvo Trucks president, said: “This outstanding result makes me so proud as it confirms Volvo Trucks’ leading position in safety.

“Safety is a core value for us and a cornerstone in our heritage. It has been guiding us from the very start of our company – and with every new product launch we are making our trucks even safer.”

Anna Wrige Berling, Volvo Trucks traffic and product safety director, added: “This is proof of our consistent efforts in safety developments to go beyond what is required by legislation, towards our vision of zero accidents involving our trucks.

“Euro NCAP ratings will guide customers sn their purchase decisions as well as challenge vehicle manufacturers to continuously work to improve safety.”

Euro NCAP’s report with all the trial results for all nine trucks can be accessed here.