How safe is the upcoming smart #1 EV?

KUALA LUMPUR: Among the several electric cars earmarked for Malaysia is the smart #1. Manufactured by the German automotive marque ‘smart’ (owned by Geely and Mercedes-Benz), the EV will be sold under the banner of Proton in Malaysia. For this, the national automaker launched a separate entity PRO-NET back in September. Well, the recent buzz about the upcoming German EV is its safety rating. 

The smart #1 was recently crash tested by the Euro NCAP, which awarded it a perfect 5-star rating after testing the EV on different parameters, including Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road Users Protection, and Safety Assist.

Here, are the category-wise scores of the crash test -

• Adult Occupant Protection - 96%
• Child Occupant Protection - 89%
• Vulnerable Road Users Protection - 71%
• Safety Assist - 88%

So what makes the upcoming EV safe and secure? Let’s know.

The smart #1 is packed with 7 airbags and a number of active safety systems bundled as the ‘smart Pilot Assist Package’. It comprises a front Collision Mitigation system, which detects the imminent danger of a frontal collision and takes countermeasures accordingly. Also part of the kit is a Lane Keeping Assist, which detects the vehicle moving out of its lane without indicating and helps the driver go back into the centre of the lane by applying light counter-steering. 

Other bits include Automatic Emergency Braking (with Vehicle, Pedestrian and Cyclists Detection), Adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go function, highway and traffic jam assist, a Door Open Warning System, blind spot assist,  auto parking assist, highway and traffic jam assist, and an adaptive high beam.

Not only the features, but the EV’s strong build also contributed towards achieving a high safety score. The overall architecture meets the highest industry standards with 74% high-strength steel and 19% press-hardened steel creating a strong safety shield for occupants. As for battery protection, it features several safeguard measures such as high thermal stability battery core materials and heat insulation of battery modules.

That’s all about the smart #1 safety. The EV is expected to hit the local market in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Also read: Proton teamed up with Funding Societies to offer credit facilities to dealers