Unveiling the Challenges That Led to Mahindra Scorpio N’s Zero Score in NCAP

Despite securing a full five-star GNCAP rating, the Mahindra Scorpio N has faced failure in the Australian NCAP (ANCAP) crash test, receiving a zero-star rating. The reason behind this stark difference lies in the absence of autonomous driving features in the Scorpio N. The Australian government mandated Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) as a requirement for all new cars post-March 1, 2023. There was a loophole allowing vehicles registered for sale before this date to avoid this requirement. Mahindra took advantage of the loophole by registering the Scorpio N before the deadline.

Scores and Logic

?Adult Occupant Protection

• Scorpio N scored 17.67 out of 40 points (44 percent).
• Stable passenger compartment in the frontal offset test.
• Weak protection for the driver’s chest and poor protection for the rear passenger’s head, neck, and chest in full-width frontal test.
• Side impact test scored full marks.
• Far side impact test received a zero-point rating.

Child Occupant Protection

• Scorpio N scored 39.27 out of 49 points (80 percent).
• Marginal safety rating for the neck and chest of the 10-year-old dummy in the frontal offset test.
• Good safety rating for the rest in both child dummies.
• Notice: Top tether anchorages not fitted to the center seating position in seven-seat variants.

Vulnerable Road User Protection

• Scorpio N received a 23% safety rating (14.94 out of 63).
• Marginal or adequate protection for a pedestrian's head by the bonnet.
• Weak or poor results on the front of the bonnet, base of the windscreen, and stiff pillars.
• Poor protection for the pelvis, femurs, and lower legs.
• Missing autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

Safety Assist

• Scorpio N scored 0 out of 18 due to the absence of any ADAS features.

Discrepancy Analysis

• The discrepancy arises from the absence of autonomous functions, a requirement for the Australian mandate.
• Despite the Scorpio N's success in the Global NCAP crash test, ANCAP's harsh scores stem from the lack of ADAS features.
• Mahindra plans to introduce ADAS features on the Scorpio N to comply with regulations from 2025 onwards.

The disparity highlights the impact of varying safety regulations across regions, emphasizing the significance of meeting specific criteria for each market.