Stricter IIHS Standards for 2024 to Boost Safety for Rear Passengers and Pedestrians

Hyundai Motor Company dominates with 16 awards after new tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recently revised their standards for the year 2024, in an effort to push car manufacturers to improve safety measures for both rear passengers and pedestrians.

The stricter standards now demand that car manufacturers achieve a satisfactory score in the side impact test – which was recently modified by increasing the weight of the barrier and the speed at which it travels – in order to be eligible for either the basic Top Safety Pick or the highly sought-after Top Safety Pick+ commendation. Previously, an acceptable or good rating would have been enough.

The criteria for pedestrian front crash prevention has been updated in order to receive an award, it is now necessary to achieve an acceptable or good rating. This new evaluation combines the daytime and nighttime tests into one, requiring vehicles to undergo testing both during daylight hours and at night. In the past, even if a vehicle was able to detect and avoid pedestrians in the dark, it would still receive the base award.

In 2019, the introduction of the daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian assessment resulted in a 21% Top Safety Pick+ rating for vehicles. However, by 2023, this rating had significantly increased to 59% in daytime trials and 40% during nighttime evaluations.

The IIHS recently revised the criteria for the Top Safety Pick+ award, requiring a minimum rating of acceptable or good in the moderate front overlap test. In this assessment, an additional dummy is placed in the rear passenger seat to assess the safety for backseat occupants.

After examining data spanning 14 years, it was found that individuals operating vehicles categorized as good in the initial moderate overlap evaluation have a 46% lower chance of fatality in a head-on collision with a comparable car compared to those rated as poor. This should lead to an enhancement in protection for rear passengers, an area that IIHS believes has been overlooked in favor of developing more sophisticated safety features for the front passengers.

The charitable institution in America now mandates that its recipients of awards must achieve acceptable or commendable ratings for their basic headlight performance.

Despite the more stringent criteria, the 2024 standards have certified a total of 71 vehicles – 22 as Top Safety Pick+ and 49 as Top Safety Pick. This marks an improvement from last year’s 48 qualifying models, which saw a significant decrease compared to 2022’s 101 awardees.

It also received top marks for its advanced safety featuresFollowing last year’s disappointing safety ratings for some of its models, the Hyundai Motor Group has made a strong comeback in 2024 by taking the lead with a total of 16 awards (six for Top Safety Pick+ and 10 for Top Safety Pick). Among the top-performing models that have been awarded the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ are the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Kia Telluride, and Genesis Electrified G80. The group’s advanced safety features have also earned high praise and recognition.Last year, the Hyundai Motor Group faced criticism after receiving subpar safety ratings for some of their vehicles. However, they have redeemed themselves this year by achieving a remarkable feat of receiving 16 awards, more than any other automaker. These awards are divided into six Top Safety Pick+ and ten Top Safety Pick ratings, solidifying the group’s commitment to ensuring the highest level of safety standards for their customers.Three of their models, the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Kia Telluride, and Genesis Electrified G80, have received the highly coveted Top Safety Pick+ award, setting them apart in terms of safety performance and technology. This achievement is a testament to the group’s dedication to

The South Korean car company is trailed by Toyota, including its upscale branch Lexus, achieving a total of 13 recognitions (a single Top Safety Pick+ and twelve Top Safety Pick). Mazda garnered the most honors among all individual brands with a total of six awards (five Top Safety Pick+ and one Top Safety Pick).

Similar to the previous year, compact cars and pickup trucks, as well as minivans, did not exhibit satisfactory performance compared to crossovers and SUVs. Among all vehicle categories, midsize luxury SUVs were highly lauded with a total of 17 accolades (including five Top Safety Pick+ and 12 Top Safety Pick).

IIHS President David Harkey announced that they have made another significant update to the award criteria for 2024, following the stricter requirements that were implemented last year. According to Harkey, “This year’s winners are true standouts, providing the utmost level of protection for not only vehicle occupants but also other vulnerable road users.”