Drive.com.au
TWO new Chinese electric vehicles have earned five-star ANCAP safety ratings, with the results accompanied by a call for manufacturers to restore physical controls for everyday driving functions.
The GAC Aion UT and XPeng X9 received the maximum rating under ANCAP’s 2026 assessment criteria, which examine safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash safety.
Both models performed strongly in crash protection and post-crash testing, with ANCAP highlighting the safety performance of their high-voltage batteries following a collision.
The Aion UT scored 90 per cent for crash protection and 88 per cent for post-crash safety, alongside 74 per cent for crash avoidance and 68 per cent for safe driving.
The XPeng X9 recorded 91 per cent in both crash protection and post-crash safety, 82 per cent for crash avoidance and 56 per cent for safe driving.
However, ANCAP also drew attention to the lack of physical controls, urging car makers to make frequently used functions easier to operate without distraction.
“We want to see car makers bring back buttons for the functions drivers use every day,” ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said.
“Adjusting your windscreen wipers, switching on your headlights or clearing a fogged-up windscreen should be simple, intuitive, and achievable without taking your attention off the road.”
