AutoSafe™ General Structure
The IAF AutoSafe™ Vehicle Safety & Integrity Rating is built on a structured, multi-domain framework that unifies crash performance, active safety, digital security, EV battery safety and long-term durability into a single, transparent A–F classification.
Each vehicle is evaluated across seven core domains, twenty-six sub-categories and hundreds of technical indicators, using a combination of full-scale crash tests, functional track testing, cybersecurity assessments and environmental durability validation.
The AutoSafe™ methodology also ensures consistency across global vehicle platforms by harmonizing laboratory crash data with real-world performance indicators, advanced digital integrity checks and long-term structural durability measurements. This creates a balanced, transparent and future-ready safety benchmark trusted by consumers and industry alike.
Program Snapshot
- Seven major safety & integrity domains.
- Integrated evaluation of physical, digital and environmental safety.
- Weighted 0–100 global score mapped to AutoSafe™ Classes A–F.
Core Evaluation Categories
| Domain | Primary Focus | Weight |
|---|---|---|
|
Structural Safety & Crashworthiness
Cabin integrity and biomechanical injury performance in frontal, side, rear and rollover impacts.
|
Full-scale crash testing, intrusion mapping and restraint system interaction to preserve survival space. | 30% |
|
Occupant Protection (Adult & Child)
Protection of adult and child occupants using advanced dummies and CRS compatibility checks.
|
Injury metrics, whiplash protection and rear-seat performance for diverse occupant sizes and positions. | 20% |
|
Vulnerable Road User Protection
Pedestrian and cyclist safety from both vehicle front-end design and AEB-VRU performance.
|
Headform, legform and pelvis impacts combined with VRU detection and braking in day and night scenarios. | 10% |
|
Active & Preventive Safety Systems
AEB, lane support, speed assistance and driver monitoring systems to avoid or mitigate collisions.
|
Scenario-rich testing of hazard detection, intervention timing and system reliability across conditions. | 20% |
|
Digital System Integrity & Cybersecurity
Protection against software tampering, network intrusion, keyless theft and sensor spoofing.
|
OTA security, in-vehicle network hardening and resilience of connected/automated functions to cyber threats. | 10% |
|
EV Battery Safety & Thermal / Electrical Management
High-voltage battery safety under abuse, crash, water ingress and post-impact conditions.
|
Thermal runaway resistance, mechanical protection, HV isolation and first-responder safety measures. | 10% |
|
Durability, Environmental Resistance & Production Consistency
Long-term corrosion, fatigue, climate robustness and alignment between tested and production vehicles.
|
Accelerated aging, environmental stress testing and random production audits to confirm real-world robustness. | 10% |
Evaluation Flow
AutoSafe™ uses a structured, auditable flow from raw test data to the final A–F class to ensure full transparency for manufacturers, regulators and consumers.
- Domain-specific testing and data collection.
- Normalization to 0–100 scores per domain.
- Weighted aggregation into a global AutoSafe™ score.
- Application of penalties and critical safety caps.
- Mapping to AutoSafe™ Classes A–F for publication.
Design Principles
The framework has been engineered to remain stable, comparable and future-ready as vehicle technology evolves toward full electrification, connectivity and higher automation levels.
- Holistic coverage of physical, digital and environmental safety.
- Alignment with global best practices while extending beyond traditional NCAP scopes.
- Clear and auditable methodology for regulators, OEMs and consumers.
- Future-proof architecture for electrification, connectivity and autonomy.