What is NCAP?
NCAP stands for New Car Assessment Programme – a government-run scheme designed to measure and improve the safety of new cars. Perhaps the most relevant one for UK buyers is Euro NCAP, the European agency that crash tests almost all new cars to give them ratings for occupant and pedestrian safety. The first NCAP programme was actually launched in the USA in 1979, and NCAP schemes have been a huge driving force behind the improvement in car safety, leading to the widespread use of airbags, crumple zones and driver assistance systems.
Read our guide to find out what a Euro NCAP score is, how it's calculated and which cars are safest.
Related glossary terms
ADAS - advanced driver-assistance systemADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) is an umbrella term for modern driving and safety features that use cameras, sensors and computers.AirbagAn airbag is a fabric bag that uses an explosive charge to inflate incredibly quickly in the event of a car crash. It cushions the driver or passengers from hitting their head or other body parts on the hard parts of the car's interior.Crumple zoneA crumple zone is a part of a car's metal structure that's designed to crush and give way in an accident, absorbing energy from the crash before it makes it to the car's occupants.