KUALA LUMPUR: The Neta V, a budget-friendly electric vehicle (EV) from Chinese automaker Hozon Auto, has sparked significant public concern after receiving a zero-star safety rating from the Asean New Car Assessment Programme (Asean NCAP).
The rating, based on crash tests and safety feature evaluations, highlights gaps in the vehicle's ability to protect passengers and pedestrians in the event of an accident.
Hezeri Samsuri, an industry analyst and road safety advocate, said the car does not pass the frontal crash test, which means Neta did not design the car to pass any NCAP tests.
"Therefore, they need to re-engineer the chassis where replacing the whole model will be the best bet," he added.
Many automakers including Toyota, Perodua and Honda, offer entry-level models that consistently score highly on Asean NCAP safety tests which demonstrates that safety is becoming a priority across all segments, ensuring broader access to critical safety features.
"While the compulsory safety regulations and standards imposed by the government are sufficient, tests by a third-party organisation such as NCAP are good as they 'promote' car companies to have better and higher safety equipment on their products," Hezeri said.
Business Times have reached out to Neta Auto Malaysia for comment.
MY Mobility Vision chief sustainability officer Danial Zamberi said the rating does not just impact Neta's reputation.
It also raises questions about the company's overall commitment to safety in a market where consumer trust is growing around this critical aspect.
"This rating essentially stamps the Neta V as one of the least safe vehicles on the market," Danial said, adding that such a poor assessment undermines consumer confidence.
Safety-conscious buyers are unlikely to risk investing in a brand with visible shortcomings, especially when alternative options like BYD or VinFast offer competitive prices and stronger safety credentials.
Danial emphasised the broader implications for Neta's growth in Southeast Asia where in countries like Thailand and Indonesia, increasingly cautious markets may penalise brands with poor safety records, making recovery even harder.
"Once a brand gets a bad reputation in this space, it can take years to recover," he said, adding that the failure provides competitive advantage to other EV manufacturers like Hyundai.
"They need to take this as a wake-up call, putting safety front and centre in all their future vehicles and being transparent with consumers about the steps they're taking to improve," Danial said.
Strengthening the structural integrity of their vehicles, introducing additional airbags, and adopting advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are not just optional steps. They are necessary to rebuild trust.
As Danial puts it, "Consumers today expect safety as a baseline requirement," hence Neta must go beyond surface fixes to demonstrate a genuine commitment to safety and innovation.
Both Danial and Hezeri underscored the need for stronger government involvement in regulating and enforcing vehicle safety but approach the issue from different angles.
Danial highlighted the limitations of Malaysia's current EV safety regulations, noting that while vehicles like the Neta V meet minimum legal standards, these standards may fall short of the more rigorous Asean NCAP benchmarks.
"The government must review Malaysia's EV safety regulations and emphasise the need for a balance between cost, safety, and environmental objectives," he said.
Hezeri, on the other hand, points to systemic enforcement challenges in the broader transportation sector where he critiques government agencies using heavy vehicles as an example for failing to prevent accidents involving lorries and buses despite existing regulations.
He advocates for an independent enforcement agency, such as APAD, to operate autonomously and more effectively to curb these issues.
While the Neta V's affordability may attract budget-conscious buyers, it is clear that neglecting safety is not a sustainable strategy in a competitive and safety-aware EV market.