Ineos shuns active safety for off-road focus

THE mighty Ineos Grenadier will soldier on in Australia without the latest active safety tech now common across the new car market.

While the likes of autonomous emergency braking, blind spot warning and lane keep assistance systems are available in the ladder frame off-roader in international markets, Ineos Australia is in no hurry to add complexity to a car that has a singular focus on tackling tough terrain.

It’s all about listening to customers, according to the brand’s head of the Asia Pacific region Justin Hocevar.

He says so-called advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are not on the wish list of owners.

“We haven’t introduced those features on the Australian models yet,” says Hocevar, saying that buyers simply don’t want the sort of features that some see as an unnecessary hindrance.

“We’re probably finding more people come to the brand going ‘I like the vehicle without ADAS features’ than people turning around and saying ‘I wouldn’t take that for lack of ADAS features’.

He added that many Ineos owners are experienced drivers who don’t want the car telling them what to do.

“They’re enthusiasts, they’ve driven a lot of cars. They’ve evolved as drivers in an era without a lot of devices that need to support their driving. They’re confident, they’re capable, they’re experienced, they know what they’re doing and they’re not really seeking electronic intervention of their driving.”

Driver assistance systems are increasingly a requirement from a regulatory perspective and to achieve the maximum five-star rating in independent ANCAP crash testing.

But because the Grenadier receives NB1 vehicle classification in Australia – effectively classifying it as a light truck – it has lesser requirements regarding safety.

Besides, Hocevar argues the Grenadier and the Quartermaster dual-cab ute spin-off provide good occupant protection.

“It’s a safe vehicle and it’s a crash tested vehicle; it’s passed the European passenger car safety requirements,” he says, adding that having a safe vehicle is still a priority for owners.

“They still want safety features … and a vehicle that’s been crash tested and safe,” says Hocevar. “But they don’t necessarily want an electronic device tapping them on the shoulder every five minutes and saying do this or do that.”

Eventually Hocevar says such safety systems will likely find their way into Australian-delivered Grenadiers, especially as the market evolves and the buyer demographic potentially changes.

“I think that we may need to introduce it at some point in time to open it up to other customers,” he says, adding that for now it’s a “watch and act” on the tech.

“So far that hasn’t been a compelling reason to introduce it.”