Uber Australia has today announced that we’ll be joining Australian governments and many leading Australian companies in adopting a 5-star ANCAP policy.

From October 2019, all new vehicles signed up to the Uber Australia rides platform will need to have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, or equivalent for luxury vehicles. Driver-partners already driving using the Uber app will have two years to ensure their cars have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. This will give driver-partners time to adjust to the new safety standard.  

Uber is deeply committed to the safety of our customers, communities and everyone who shares the road.

While we believe Uber’s technology has already helped to make transport safer, for example by ensuring no trip is anonymous and GPS tracking for every trip, we also believe there are ways we can help further improve road safety in Australia.

Since 1993, ANCAP has set the standard for vehicle safety in Australia. Over 1 million vehicles, or 95% of new cars sold in Australia in 2017/18 were ANCAP rated. Of those, 91% held a 5-star safety rating. ANCAP’s work on encouraging the uptake of new vehicle safety features and technologies has made a real difference, with Australian consumers leading the way on choosing safe vehicles.

Adopting a 5-star ANCAP policy builds on our already strong minimum vehicle requirements, which requires vehicles to be less than 10 years old, in excellent working condition, have third-party insurance, and be re-inspected each year subject to state regulations.

Uber is a huge community of people who share a common goal: to create a world where it’s safe and easy for everyone to get around. Today the majority of UberX trips in Australia are already taken in cars that have a 5-star ANCAP rating or equivalent. What this new policy means is that in a few years’ time, that will be the case for all trips.

ANCAP has long set the Australian standard for vehicle safety. We’re proud to help ANCAP continue in sending a powerful message about the importance of vehicle safety technology across Australia.

ANCAP Chief Executive James Goodwin added that this was a great step in enhancing the safety of all those who use our roads.

“Ride-share services are a modern convenience, and this initiative shows strong leadership. 5 star safety is now the expected standard among Australian car buyers, and we should continue to expect that same high standard whenever we use a car,” Mr Goodwin added.

“The introduction of this policy in Australia sees Uber join a wide range of major corporations, governments, local councils, and businesses which have adopted 5 star vehicle purchase and use policies in Australia in recent years,” Mr Goodwin added.