Škoda Auto India announced it will continue keeping its foot on the accelerator when it comes to safety of its customers. Globally, Škoda Auto has a 50-year-old legacy with crash tests and safety. A Škoda 100 L is the first documented crash test in Prague-Ruzyně in former Czechoslovakia in 1972. Currently, the company has a world-class, state-of-the-art Polygon test centre in Úhelnice, which has been awarded Crash Laboratory of the year 2020 by the Automotive Testing Technology International trade journal. And every global Škoda since 2008 has been rated 5-star by Euro NCAP.
On Škoda’s international record with safety, Johannes Neft, Škoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development said, “At Škoda, we use all our expertise in technical development to consistently improve the active and passive safety of our vehicles. Even our entry-level models offer numerous assistance systems that are usually only available in vehicles from higher vehicle classes. At the same time, our state-of-the-art crash laboratory Polygon Úhelnice provides the ideal setting to thoroughly test the safety of our models. This allows us to incorporate our findings into vehicle development at a very early stage. Achieving the highest score of 5-stars in the NCAP reference test and the Global NCAP test for crash safety for all Škoda model series tested since 2008 is an outstanding success.”
Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) represents the passenger vehicle brands of the Volkswagen Group in India – Škoda Auto, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini. The Group offers customers in India the most desirable and widest range of designs, body styles and powertrains. And above all, safety.
Christian Cahn von Seelen, Executive Director, Sales, Marketing and Digital, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India said, “We are proud to have raised the bar in terms of safety standards with each new vehicle we introduce. The common thread that binds all our products is the exceptional packaging in terms of dynamic drive, features that matter, comfortable ride and most importantly, unparalleled safety. In Škoda Auto’s 2-decade legacy in India, the MQB-A0-IN platform is the first ever that was specifically developed for the country. The brand’s INDIA 2.0 cars – Slavia and Kushaq – developed on this platform, had a high focus on localisation, lower costs of ownership and maintenance, while maintaining Škoda’s dynamic driving traits and zero compromise on safety. We are confident that we will continue to win the admiration of Indian car buyers, especially those who are conscious about the well-being of their family and the friends they drive with. And while we ensure that our cars have the technology and features that make them the safest in India, all the systems work the best way in harmony with the seat belt worn.”
Škoda Auto India’s announcement comes on the back of the Slavia sedan earning the tag of the highest rated car for safety in the Global NCAP crash tests among cars made in India. In the last quarter of 2022, the Kushaq SUV achieved the feat of earning top scores in the Global NCAP tests conducted then. What makes the achievement remarkable is that both these cars were tested under Global NCAP’s newer, stricter crash-test protocols. Moreover, among made-in-India cars, these two are the only ones to earn a full 5-stars for both adults and child occupants. With the Kodiaq 4×4 that has earned a 5-stars for adult and child safety in the Euro NCAP, Škoda Auto India now boasts of a fully-tested, 5-star safe fleet of family cars for both adults and children.
This furthers the cause of Safer Cars for India and is the key focus area for the company in its strategy in the country going forward.
The company also hosted a Safer With Škoda Trackday at the NATRAX facility in Indore, Asia’s largest vehicle testing centre. The event showcased the safety features of Škoda cars and included emergency braking manoeuvres and off-road abilities of the 4×4 range.
Commenting on the focus on safety, Petr Šolc, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India said, “The skeletal structure of our cars is laser-welded, comprising of high strength steel, and has been built to mitigate and absorb the impact of the crash. Which is why every Škoda, whether made for India, or made for the world is fully 5-star safe for adults and children. We believe that Safety is Invisible, till tested. While seatbelts and safety technology like airbags and ESC are all key components of a safe car, safety begins at the core, which is the body structure it is built on. That core is what makes a Škoda safe. Safety is at the core of our strategy and we will continue to build cars with this philosophy. Because nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our families. And at Škoda, our customers are part of the Škoda family. This reflects Škoda’s values of Safety, Family, Human Touch, around which we will continue to grow our brand in the Indian market.”
The Slavia and Kushaq are both equipped with upto 6 airbags, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, tyre-pressure monitoring, multi-collision braking, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability control, ISOFIX mounts for child seats, Top Tether anchor points among others.
While these are a mix of active and passive safety features, Škoda Auto India will lay further emphasis on the platform and skeletal structure of its cars. The company will hold this safety as its driving force in its future in the Indian market. Maintaining its current lead in safety and further honing advancements in body structure engineering and active and passive safety technologies is going to be the prime goal for Škoda Auto India.
