The all-new Honda Civic e:HEV has been awarded the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. In line with Honda's mission to eliminate road fatalities involving any of its items by 2050, the 11th generation Civic includes several improved and upgraded technologies to provide one of the highest levels of passenger and pedestrian safety in its class.
Honda has developed a number of body structural braces to enhance the Civic's overall passive safety in order to meet Euro NCAP crash impact safety standards for Adult Occupant Protection. In addition to front door stiffeners and rear wheel arch frames that improve side impact performance, this vehicle includes a full-width brace that connects the floor and resin bulkhead in order to limit deformation in the event of a head on or offset frontal collision.
All trim levels of the new Civic include 11 airbags as standard, including knee airbags for both drivers and passengers to minimise injury during frontal collisions and side airbags for both front and rear seat passengers to minimise injury during side impacts. A front centre airbag is included for the first time to prevent collisions between the driver and front passenger during a side impact.
All occupants of the all-new Civic may benefit from this level of protection. The car achieved a good grade in the Child Occupant Protection category thanks to the integrated ISOFIX mounting points, which comply with the latest European i-Size standards.
The newly designed front bumper beam safety plates on the 11th generation Civic are meant to absorb impact energy, reducing leg fractures and knee ligament damage for pedestrians in the event of a collision. The pop-up hood on the other hand, is lined with an embossed membrane structure beneath its outer surface. This hidden component has highly efficient absorption properties for energy should a pedestrian's head strike the outer surface, thus reducing the risk of serious injury.
Honda has developed a new suite of driver-assistance systems dubbed SENSING.
The all-new Civic's passive safety features are enhanced by an Honda SENSING™ suite of active safety and driver assist technologies. Sonar sensors that utilise sound waves to detect non-metallic objects such as glass and walls are included. Previously, millimetre wave radar was used to detect these objects, but this technology is now replaced by sonar sensors that detect them far more accurately and reliably.
The new Civic is equipped with a 100-degree view camera, which improves the car’s ability to detect road lines, verges, motorcycles, and cyclists. In addition, a new high-speed processing chip improves the detection, performance, and control of the system, allowing it to detect objects earlier and more accurately, including pedestrians in light and dark environments.
An improved Forward Collision Warning System is included in the expansive SENSING offering from Honda, which alerts the driver if vehicles in front are detected and issues visual, audible, and tactile alerts if the driver is approaching too quickly. The Collision Mitigation Braking System is activated if the driver does not respond, applying light brake pressure to help reduce the risk or severity of a frontal collision. If the system anticipates a collision, it will now apply forceful braking.
Euro NCAP recently gave the Honda Civic, CR-V, and Jazz the maximum five-star safety rating.