New Renault Grand Scénic: The 12th Model of the Renault Range to Achieve a Five-Star EuroNCAP Rating

PARIS – August 26, 2009: New Grand Scénic has become the 12th model of the Renault range to be awarded EuroNCAP's maximum five-star crash-test rating, despite the increase in the independent body's evaluation criteria (side and rear impact, child and adult protection, pedestrian protection, equipment) earlier this year.

New Grand Scénic has been engineered to delivery exemplary active and passive safety performance, and features the same equipment package as the rest of the Mégane family:

twin side impact sensors, an innovation first seen on Laguna III

six airbags, including two dual-chamber thorax/groin airbags

the Renault System for Restraint and Protection (comprising double pretensioners, load limiters and dual-chamber twin-stage adaptive front airbags)

new-generation headrests

It also comes as standard with ABS, EBA (Emergency Brake Assist), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and CSV understeer control.

Renault's across-the-range approach to safety is founded on the study of real-world accidents and places the priority on developing the most effective technologies to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place, taking corrective action and protecting occupants, as well as to enhancing the safety awareness of all road users.

Renault believes that actively improving safety is a priority and stands out as the only car manufacturer to have obtained the maximum five-star rating on 12 occasions. New Grand Scénic's programmed crumple structure absorbs impact energy to protect both the cabin's structural integrity and the lives of occupants. The materials it employs – including high, very high and even very, very elastic limit steels – are selected for their ability to absorb energy and dissipate kinetic energy. Controlling deformation in this way reduces the deceleration forces to which occupants are subjected and, combined with the benefits of the third-generation Renault System for Restraint and Protection (SRP3), guarantees a particularly high level of protection.

Renault System for Restraint and Protection
New Grand Scénic's third-generation Renault System for Restraint and Protection takes both impact force and occupant build into account. It comprises double front seatbelt pretensioners, (which restrict forward movement of the body by holding the strap firmly across the thorax and groin), load limiters for all seats (which reduce the pressure applied to the thorax by the belt strap) and dual-chamber twin-stage adaptive airbags (which deploy by just the right amount to round off the absorption of impact energy). The hump-form of the reinforced seat cushion structure combines with the SRP3 to ensure the best possible protection against submarining, a phenomenon whereby the groin has a tendency to slide beneath the lower part of the seatbelt. Submarining can be responsible for some extremely serious abdominal lesions.

Impact from the side is a major cause of fatal injuries in built-up areas (one-third of all accidents) and particular attention has been paid to providing optimal protection in the case of these collisions. Equipment includes the twin side-impact sensors first seen on Laguna III and which halve the time usually required for the lateral airbags to deploy. This system combines with larger, innovative, new-generation curtain airbags which improve head protection by 30 per cent. Another advantage of this set-up is that the pressure applied by the dual-chamber thorax/groin airbags to the more exposed and more resistant groin area is three times that which is applied to the thorax.

The new-generation headrests feature fixation rods which slide within the headrest – and no longer within the upper part of the seatback – to provide greater protection of the cervical vertebrae in case of impact from the rear. They no longer form a rigid component inside the seatback. The curved form of the frameless seat allows the occupant's back to sink 60mm into the seatback, resulting in less movement of the head and thorax.

New Grand Scénic's front-end design has also benefited from new technical solutions aimed at improving the protection of pedestrians in a collision. The bumper's rigidity and thickness have been revised with a view to protecting lower limbs by absorbing energy at tibia and knee height. The bonnet and its immediate environment (wings, bonnet-opening mechanism and design of the inner bonnet skin) have similarly been modified.

Child safety is an aspect of automotive safety in its own right. Renault's specific research in this field meets the same exacting standards as its investment in the development of adult protection systems, and New Grand Scénic's child protection credentials figure among the very best. ISOFIX anchorage is available for all second-row seats, enabling ISOFIX child seats and booster seats to be fitted swiftly and safely.

New Grand Scénic is available with a range of equipment aimed at helping the driver prevent risk situations from occurring in the first place:

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Innovative cruise control with speed limiter, including a new, bright, practical and intuitive interface which is both safer and simpler to take in

Automatic headlight activation

Automatic activation of windscreen wipers

Bi-Xenon headlights with cornering dipped-beam lights. They contribute to night-time driving comfort by improving the driver's perception of the road ahead and by providing additional lighting to the side

On the active safety front, New Grand Scénic is equipped with ABS incorporating EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and CSV understeer control.

New Grand Scénic shares all this equipment with the rest of the Mégane range, and notably with its smaller sibling, New Scénic, which delivers the same standard of safety for all occupants.

Renault and safety: a holistic approach based on four fronts
Renault's approach is founded on accident research and real-world safety which it analyses to develop equipment that matches real traffic situations. The emphasis is accordingly placed on developing the most effective technologies when it comes to preventing accident risks, taking corrective measures when faced with unexpected situations and protecting occupants should a collision occur.

EuroNCAP results for Renault: the only carmaker to have secured the maximum score 12 times
But Renault's approach extends further than the purely technical aspect. Enhancing the awareness of all road-users in safety matters is another of the Group's priorities. As a socially-responsible company, Renault is actively involved in a long list of awareness and educational programmes, both at national and international level. These campaigns are aimed at improving the behaviour of road users and include the international Safety For All programme (www.safety-for-all.com), as well as the Global Road Safety Initiative.