ANCAP has completed its first safety comparison of large pickup trucks, establishing a benchmark for crash avoidance technology in response to growing community concerns about the safety implications of increasingly popular heavy-duty vehicles.
The inaugural Large Utilities ADAS Safety Comparison examined five models currently available in the Australian and New Zealand markets: the Ford F-150, RAM 1500, Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series, Toyota Tundra, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500.
Ford’s updated F-150 achieved the highest score with 81% and a Platinum safety grading, fitted with what ANCAP described as one of the most comprehensive ranges of active safety features among the vehicles assessed.
The RAM 1500 secured second place with a 70% score and Gold grading, also featuring a broad range of well-performing safety technologies.
Both Toyota models achieved Silver gradings, with the LandCruiser 79 Series outperforming its Tundra stablemate at 55% compared to 50%. The Chevrolet Silverado scored lowest with 27% and a Bronze grading.
“Larger vehicles pose a bigger threat to other road users than passenger cars. The best way to reduce the potential risk of fatalities and serious injuries from large vehicles is to make sure they do the best possible job at avoiding a crash,” ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said.
Growing market segment
The testing addresses a rapidly expanding vehicle segment, with over 22,500 large utes sold in Australia during 2024. Sales of the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, RAM trucks, and Toyota Tundra have increased by 270% since 2019.
Market share for large pickups has risen from 5.9% to 9.4% since 2019. Excluding the long-established Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series, the market share of large utes has more than tripled from 1.4% to 4.4% over the same period.
“There is community concern over the size of pickups when they are driving in suburban streets, around schools, and in built-up areas,” Hoorweg said.
The safety implications are supported by United States data showing fatal pedestrian crashes involving pickups are four times more likely to occur during a turn than those involving cars. Vehicles with bonnet heights above one metre are approximately 45% more likely to cause pedestrian fatalities.
ANCAP applied international best practice safety testing to establish standards well above regulatory requirements for this vehicle category.
“Performance did vary but these results show there is a strong base to build from, and clear opportunity to achieve the performance levels seen in passenger vehicles,” Hoorweg said.
Future testing framework
The comparison will inform development of a comprehensive testing framework for large pickups, with additional safety information expected for a broader range of models and variants from 2026.
Future phases could potentially extend into physical crash protection testing, ensuring complete assessment of both crash avoidance and crash protection capabilities.
ANCAP has expanded its traditional testing scope in recent years to include commercial vans and light trucks. The organisation has tested and rated passenger cars, SUVs, and light commercial vehicles including utes with gross vehicle mass up to approximately 3.5 tonnes since 1992.
The new Large Utilities comparison examines vehicles with gross combination mass of 7.0 tonnes or above, representing a further expansion to provide fleet buyers and consumers with independent safety information beyond traditional passenger cars.
The results establish a benchmark for manufacturers to improve crash avoidance technology in large pickup trucks, with clear incentives for enhanced safety performance in this growing market segment.
Join the conversation