The Renault Trucks D, purpose-built for distribution operations, has been awarded four stars in the 2026 Euro NCAP ratings. This programme, widely regarded as a benchmark for vehicle safety across Europe, has published the outcomes of its latest testing cycle focusing on heavy-duty trucks. In addition to its overall rating, the model has also earned the CitySafe label, which recognises vehicles offering high levels of safety in urban environments, particularly in safeguarding vulnerable road users.
This marks the first time the Renault Trucks D has undergone Euro NCAP testing, achieving a strong four-star result from the outset. The rating reflects the effectiveness of its integrated active and passive safety systems. The independent safety body specifically commended the quality of the truck’s driver assistance and collision avoidance technologies.
Designed with urban safety in mind
Particular attention was given to systems tailored for city driving. Euro NCAP highlighted the vehicle’s driver visibility as a key strength. Features contributing to this include an optional passenger-side vision door with a lower window, enhancing direct line of sight, and high-performance indirect vision solutions such as panoramic vision and passenger-side cameras. Together, these systems improve awareness of surrounding road users in dense urban settings.
The truck also incorporates technologies aimed at reducing driver workload and improving comfort. These include alerts that warn when the vehicle is travelling too close to traffic ahead, along with advanced systems such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and an Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEB). According to Euro NCAP: “the ACC and AEB proved extremely effective in the case of rear collisions with other vehicles. The AEB also performed well in frontal collisions with pedestrians and cyclists”.
A recent enhancement ensures that the AEB system is automatically reactivated after 15 minutes if it has been switched off, maintaining consistent protection for both the driver and other road users. Overall, the Renault Trucks D achieved a safe driving score of 75 per cent, including 59 per cent for collision avoidance and 80 per cent for post-accident systems. Its comprehensive safety offering contributed to securing the CitySafe label, placing it among the leading vehicles for urban safety performance.
Euro NCAP’s expanding role in truck safety
Since its launch in 1997, Euro NCAP has played a significant role in advancing safety standards in passenger cars. From 2024 onwards, it extended its scope to include heavy-duty trucks, encouraging manufacturers to adopt increasingly sophisticated safety technologies. Renault Trucks has actively supported this initiative, which aims to improve safety outcomes for drivers and all road users.
Both the Renault Trucks T and the Renault Trucks D have now achieved four-star ratings and the CitySafe label under the programme. The 2026 assessment framework uses a one- to five-star scale, evaluating three core areas: safe driving, including driver monitoring, visibility and assistance systems; collision avoidance, covering scenarios such as impacts with vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as lane changes and low-speed manoeuvres; and post-accident performance, focusing on accessibility for emergency services and information provided to first responders.
