New Renault Mégane boasts five-star safety rating and driver aids

By Gerry Murphy

Not for the first time Renault has recorded a big score when it comes to safety. The new Renault Mégane has been awarded a five-star passive safety rating after testing by the independent body Euro NCAP.

This rating for the new Mégane takes the number of Renault models to have secured the maximum five-star rating in 2015 to four and like the others the Mégane features upgraded safety thanks to a suite of driver assistance systems which reassure and warn drivers for ease of driving.

The new Mégane shares the same Common Module Family (CMF) platform as the Kadjar crossover. Features of this new platform include the use of very high elastic limit steel for the spars, side rails and cross members, most notably those situated between the engine compartment and the cabin. A square millimetre of this type of steel can withstand a load of 120kg.

The CMF platform also incorporates effective occupant restraint systems, including dual-generator front airbags, the deployment of which adapts as a function of the type of impact and position of the occupant. This feature enabled the new Mégane to obtain high scores for both adult and child protection.

Meanwhile, the seat belts are equipped with pre-tensioners and adaptive load limiters which adjust the degree of restraint to the severity of the impact and the occupants’ build. In side impacts, front occupants are doubly protected by two latest-generation side airbags and two curtain airbags.

Thanks to the CMF platform, the new Mégane also benefits from the many driver assistance systems already featured on Renault vehicles from the segment above, such as the Espace. These aids are designed to reassure or warn drivers, or for ease of driving.

Adaptive Cruise Control automatically adjusts the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance to the vehicle ahead and AEBS (Active Emergency Braking System) warns the driver to brake in order to avoid a head-on collision. The brakes are applied automatically in emergency situations.

Lane Departure Warning system warns drivers they are leaving their lane without indicating and the Safe Distance Warning system helps the driver to maintain a safe distance to the vehicle ahead.

The Mégane also includes Overspeed Protection with Traffic Sign Recognition that reads traffic signs in order to adjust the cruise control’s speed setting and a Blind Spot Warning provides the driver with a visual warning when a vehicle is detected in one of the door mirror’s blind spots.

Switching from dipped to main beam head lights and vice-versa is now automatic, requiring no driver intervention while another driver aid, Hands Free Parking using the front, rear and lateral parking sensors and a reversing camera, subject to specification. There is a colour head-up display in the line of sight provides information about the majority of the driver assistance systems, the vehicle’s speed and navigation instructions.