Dynamic Side Impact Occupant Protection is now mandated on all passenger vehicles and NA category goods vehicles after Federal Transport Minister Catherine King signed ADR 72/01 (Dynamic Side Impact Protection) into Law.
The new ADR 72/01 applies to all vehicles in these categories where the R point for the lowest seat in the vehicle is no more that 700mm from the ground. A NA category goods vehicle is defined as a ‘light goods vehicle’ with a GVM not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
These changes will apply to all new model vehicles from November 1, 2026, and to all vehicles in these categories from November 1, 2028.
The ADR introduces changes to align the ADRs with amendments to UN Regulation 95 and involves initiatives “to reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury of vehicle occupants in a lateral crash by limiting the forces, accelerations and deflections measured by anthropomorphic test devices in a dynamic side impact crash test and by other means (including measures provided for protecting the occupants from direct contact with high voltage live parts)”.
The new ADR is published on the Federal Register of Legislation.
HVIA’s Legislation and Policy Adviser Greg Forbes says that given HVIA members mainly produce NB and NC vehicles and heavy trailers, it is unlikely many vehicles produced by members will be impacted by these changes.
“However, it is possible that a small number of vehicles provided by our members may be impacted,” he adds.
If you do produce or plan to produce NA category vehicles (good vehicles less than 3.5 tonnes) and would like more information on the changes please contact Greg on 0437 9237 55 or g.forbes@hvia.asn.au.
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