Do ANCAP ratings need an update ???

[AussieAV]

We've had a lot of threads on safety in recent months, and its got me thinking about the ANCAP ratings. As more and more cars reach the 5-star rating, I think its becoming less and less relevant, and needs an overhaul.

Over the next few years we will probably get to the point where a large percentage of new vehicles pass the criteria for the top 5-star rating.

Do they need to start moving the goal posts? Maybe they should set some higher criteria so that the buying public can easily distinguish if a car has just made it to the 5-star rating, or absolutely romped it in.

Two ways I can see of adjusting it would be;

1: Publish the actual scores a car gets in the battery of tests they put it through, or

2: Add some new ratings (say 6 & 7 star) to allow for cars that blitz the existing criteria, and/or have worthwhile additional safety features (e.g. collision avoidance, active cruise control, an airbag for your i-pod etc.)

I think publishing the figures would be interesting, but would also require the general public to gain a meaningful understanding of each type of test and keep up with industry standards etc., which most people would probably see as too much work (me included if I'm honest).

Making a new set of higher benchmarks that only a certain percentage of new cars can meet would probably be more meaningful to most, and be easy to market.

Another reason would be that car manufacturers would then have greater incentive to keep advancing safety technology, so they can be the first to get 6 or 7 stars. If it's left the way it is, some (particulalry in the high volume sales part of the market) may just be happy to get to the maximum 5 stars and then just stop, not bothering to put any more money into safety advances.

So, what do you guys think? Something they should be doing, or a waste of time and effort?