Euro NCAP 2026 protocols from a DSM perspective 

In the field of automotive safety, new regulations and recommendations emerge regularly, because with the advancement of technology, we can expect the exploration of so-far unreachable areas of road safety. In this blog post, we would like to discuss the recently published Euro NCAP Safety Assist protocols for 2026, focusing on Driver Engagement (Euro NCAP, 2025). Although Euro NCAP is not a regulatory body, it sets goals to strive for the entire automotive industry, and automakers make efforts to meet the requirements outlined in their protocols.  

March 2025 brought us a preview of what to expect from Euro NCAP ratings in 2026. From the driver state monitoring (DSM) perspective, which is our primary interest and scope of experience, there are some new areas to be validated and some attention-worthy details. Among the new things, we will find: 

• points for non-fatigue-related driver impairment (e.g., resulting from the use of alcohol and/or drugs), 

• on-road evaluation of the DSM system for false positive alerts, 

• active DSM as a precondition for assisted driving. 

Below, you can find a deeper dive into these requirements and their consequences on testing protocols. 

New types of impairment eligible for scoring 

Euro NCAP distinguishes two types of driver states to be monitored: transient and non-transient (primarily assigned as distraction and fatigue, respectively). A transient state is defined as “a state during which the driver’s focus on the primary task of driving/controlling the vehicle is temporarily reduced, but can be immediately reversed (e.g. visual inattentiveness due to engaging in secondary tasks)”, while a non-transient state is “a state that partially or fully reduces the driver’s capability to maintain focus and properly perform the driving task and that cannot be reversed without appropriate recovery time outside of the driving session”. As you can see, the spectrum of non-transient states broadens, and from 2026 on it will include non-fatigue-related impairment as well (e.g., resulting from the use of alcohol and/or drugs that impair driver performance). 

So far, we have been focusing on driver impairment attributable to drowsiness and visual (or visuomanual) distraction, both due to Euro NCAP and the type approval requirements of the European Commission. In our previous blog posts, you can learn something about driver drowsiness, driver distraction, driver stress, mental workload, and driving under the influence of alcohol, which are considered important states affecting the driver's condition. 

For effective detection of non-fatigue-related driver states, it is necessary to develop new test protocols, with methodology dedicated to the specific source of impairment. A different effect on the driver will have prior alcohol consumption, other stimulant drugs, and yet other sedative ones, and it is now the responsibility of automakers to identify and counteract these various threats. In addition, impairment due to causes unrelated to fatigue may be present from the start of the journey, further challenging the system to be ready to assess the driver's fit to drive without a prior sober and attentive reference point. 

On-road testing of the DSM 

Some of the participants enrolled in our driver studies point out that DSM systems are “annoying”, and by saying that, they usually mean “return an excessive number of false positive alerts” or “return an unclear visual/acoustic warning”. Addressing these complaints, Euro NCAP announced that on-road evaluation on public roads will be a part of the Driver Monitoring Test Procedure. Such an external evaluation can be a step forward in increasing acceptance of the system. 

Pre-homologation testing and DMS benchmarking are part of our scope of expertise, and we conduct similar testing for our clients on a daily basis. If you want to validate your DSM system externally, be sure to let us know! 

Driver engagement – an important precondition for assisted driving 

Driver engagement is a fundamental issue for assisted driving, as the driver is still the party responsible for the driving task. This is why from 2026 on, the DSM shall be offered as an integral part of the assisted driving system. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS, corresponding to SAE Level 2) such as lane support systems (LSS) or adaptive cruise control (ACC) are only there for driver support and enhancement of travel comfort. The driver must still be focused on the road, have their hands on the steering wheel, and control the course of the vehicle at any given time, thus stars will be rewarded to vehicles monitoring the driver's engagement. Moreover, additional points will be given to the system if the use of assistive functions is temporarily blocked after repetitive driver disengagement. 

It is also worth noting that rating points will not be granted if the name of the assisted driving system is deemed to imply a level of automation higher than what the system is offering. It is an important step forward in reducing overreliance on assistance systems. Quoting Euro NCAP: “Drivers’ expectations of how much assistance the system provides them may be influenced by information they are supplied prior to them operating the system. It shall be clear to any potential driver that the system is an assistance system only and that driver oversight is always required”. 

There is still some time to plan the activities for the upcoming assessments – if you would like to use our support in protocol preparation, DMS benchmarking, or data collection for the development and validation of your systems, let us know at humanfactors@robotec.ai. We’ll be happy to share our knowledge and discuss possible areas of cooperation. 

Sources: 

European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). (2025, March). Euro NCAP Protocol –Assisted Driving. Version 1.0. https://www.euroncap.com/media/85831/euro-ncap-protocol-assisted-driving-v10.pdf Access: 20.03.2025. 

European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). (2025, March). Euro NCAP Protocol – Safe Driving – Driver Engagement. Version 1.0. https://www.euroncap.com/media/85854/euro-ncap-protocol-safe-driving-driver-engagement-v10.pdf Access: 20.03.2025. 

European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). (2025, March). Euro NCAP Technical Bulletin SD 202 – Driver Monitoring Test Procedure. Version 1.0. https://www.euroncap.com/media/85789/sd-202-driver-monitoring-test-procedure-v10.pdf Access: 20.03.2025. 

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