ANCAP targets large pick-ups

ANCAP safety has introduced a dedicated assessment program for Australia's rapidly-expanding full-size pick-up market, shifting the focus from crashworthiness to crash prevention as American-style utes become an increasingly common sight on local roads.

The new program is the first of its kind from Australia's independent vehicle safety authority and is designed to provide consumers and fleet buyers with a comparative assessment of the active safety technologies fitted to large utes including the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra and Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series.

Unlike ANCAP's traditional five-star safety ratings, the inaugural assessment evaluates the effectiveness of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), recognising the growing importance of technologies designed to prevent collisions before they occur.

The move comes as imported full-size pick-ups continue to gain momentum in Australia, with sales increasing 270 per cent since 2019. Around 22,500 large utes were sold nationally in 2024, accounting for more than nine per cent of the pick-up and cab-chassis market.

ANCAP said the program acknowledges that these vehicles differ significantly from conventional one-tonne utes due to their greater mass, increased height and taller bonnet profiles, factors that can influence the severity of crashes involving pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and occupants of smaller vehicles.

Rather than conducting physical crash tests, the assessment concentrates on crash-avoidance systems including autonomous emergency braking, lane support technologies, driver monitoring, speed assistance and the ability to detect vulnerable road users.

Vehicles were scored across two equally weighted categories — safety assist and vulnerable road user protection — before receiving one of four medal classifications: platinum, gold, silver or bronze. The lower of the two category scores determined the overall result, ensuring weaknesses in one area could not be offset by stronger performance elsewhere.

The Ford F-150 emerged as the benchmark performer, earning the only platinum classification after delivering the strongest results across the assessment program.

ANCAP highlighted the F-150's autonomous emergency braking performance, pedestrian and cyclist detection, motorcycle recognition, driver monitoring and intelligent speed assistance as standout features.

The Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra each received gold classifications, while the Ram 1500 was awarded silver.

The Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series finished with a bronze rating, reflecting a more limited suite of active safety technologies than its newer rivals. ANCAP noted the model lacks features such as lane keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring and delivered lower performance in a number of vulnerable road user scenarios.

ANCAP stressed the new assessment should not be confused with its established crash-test program.

The initiative does not assess occupant protection, structural crashworthiness, rollover performance or compatibility with smaller vehicles. Instead, it is intended to provide an independent comparison of how effectively each vehicle's driver assistance systems can help avoid a crash.

The organisation believes this is particularly relevant as larger utes increasingly move beyond towing and commercial duties into everyday family transport.

International research referenced by ANCAP suggests pick-ups are around four times more likely than passenger cars to be involved in fatal pedestrian crashes during turning manoeuvres, while vehicles with bonnet heights above one metre are approximately 45 per cent more likely to cause pedestrian fatalities. ANCAP notes these findings are based on overseas studies rather than Australian crash data.

ANCAP said the assessment program is intended to encourage manufacturers to improve the standard fitment and calibration of active safety technologies across the segment while providing buyers with transparent, independent information as Australia's large utility market continues to evolve.

The authority indicated the inaugural program could form the foundation for broader assessments of full-size pick-ups in future as the segment continues to grow.