AB Dynamics has launched the GST™ 120 Plus, the first ADAS target platform available that can achieve the higher speeds required by consumer testing body Euro NCAP. Capable of reaching 130 km/h, the Plus allows manufacturers to test their vehicles against the highest speed rear-collision scenarios required in Euro NCAP’s forthcoming 2026 protocols.
The GST 120 Plus is a self-propelled platform designed to carry a full vehicle target for ADAS and autonomous vehicle testing in a safe, controlled and repeatable manner. The platform carries a foam panel car (the DRI Soft Car 360®) that can be hit at high-speed without causing damage to the vehicle being tested. The platform houses a control system which can accurately guide the vehicle along a pre-programmed course at a defined speed. It enables accurate path-following control and precise millisecond synchronisation that is necessary to generate accurate and repeatable crash and close-passing scenarios.
“The upcoming Euro NCAP 2026 protocols represent some of the biggest changes since the ratings scheme was introduced,” said Dr Andrew Pick, Business Director, Track Test Systems at AB Dynamics. “When the GST was first accepted for NCAP testing back in 2018, it was designed and developed around the requirements at the time, but they have since expanded considerably. The industry needs a way to run these new high-speed scenarios, and the new GST 120 Plus is the first to be capable of that.”
Externally, the Plus is identical to the Euro NCAP-approved GST 120 platform, retaining the same chassis and dimensions. Key upgrades include a 13% increase in battery capacity to support the energy-intensive higher-speed tests and an updated drivetrain using the latest brushless motor technology and optimised gearing.
Euro NCAP’s 2026 update significantly broadens the scope of testing. There are now more than 1,200 different test scenarios. Car-to-car testing, for example, began with straightforward rear-end collision avoidance assessments and has now evolved into offset, crossing-path and extended-capability scenarios that aim to better reflect real-world driving conditions. The latest protocols introduce rear-end collision scenarios at up to 130 km/h to replicate typical motorway and highway situations, where many common accident types occur.
The new tests allow Euro NCAP to distinguish between vehicles offering standard ADAS functionality and those capable of more advanced, higher-performing interventions. As a result, manufacturers equipped to run these new scenarios will be better positioned to achieve higher star ratings.
AB Dynamics provides a complete end-to-end solution for Euro NCAP ADAS testing, with a comprehensive range of ADAS platforms and targets, including cars, motorcycles, pedestrians and cyclists. The platforms work seamlessly with driving robots to precisely control the speed and direction of the vehicle under test, while Synchro™ software choreographs the vehicle and targets with centimetre-level accuracy.
For more information visit the AB Dynamics website.