AB Dynamics has launched what it claims is the world’s first ADAS target platform able to achieve the higher test speeds required by Euro NCAP’s new 2026 protocols. The GST 120 Plus can reach speeds up to 130km/h, which will enable assessments for the highest-speed rear-collision scenarios.
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 optimized gearing.
Dr Andrew Pick, business director of track test systems at AB Dynamics, said, “The upcoming Euro NCAP 2026 protocols represent some of the biggest changes since the ratings scheme was introduced. 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.”
The GST 120 Plus is the most powerful and fastest target platform on the market. Combined with ABS braking on each wheel for improved stability and shorter stopping distances, its performance minimizes the track length required to perform tests, which is a significant constraint on some proving grounds. The platform can reach the standard 80km/h test speed in under 130m.
The purpose of the GST platform is to enable safe, controlled and repeatable car-to-car tests. The platform carries a foam panel car (the Soft Car 360) that can be hit at high speed without causing damage to the test vehicle. The platform houses a control system that can accurately guide the vehicle along a pre-programmed course at a defined speed. The controller uses position feedback from a high-precision, GPS-corrected inertial navigation system. It enables accurate path-following control and precise millisecond synchronization that are necessary to generate accurate and repeatable crash and close-passing scenarios.
The approved Soft Car 360 target, used with the GST platform to replicate the visual, radar and lidar signature of a passenger vehicle, has also been upgraded for compatibility with the new higher-speed tests. While external dimensions remain unchanged, internal structural enhancements ensure the target maintains its integrity and stability at the increased speeds.
Rather than requiring an onboard PC, the platform now includes AB Dynamics’ Remote RC capability, enabling the GST to be operated directly from a laptop, with all test data stored locally, enabling quick, on-demand analysis and a convenient way to configure tests or review results away from the test track.
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 extended higher-speed rear-end collision scenarios at up to 130km/h to replicate typical freeway and highway situations, where many common accident types occur.
These extended tests enable 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.
To help OEMs tackle the huge rise in test scenarios, AB Dynamics has developed a comprehensive library of pre-configured test scenarios, enabling the automation of all Euro NCAP ADAS tests. The optional Euro NCAP 2026 ‘special group’ will be pre-installed on the GST 120 Plus, ready for customers to use.
The platforms work with the company’s driving robots to precisely control the speed and direction of the vehicle under test, while Synchro software choreographs the vehicle and targets with centimeter-level accuracy.
In the November 2024 edition of ATTI, Dr Pick discusses how to navigate the FMVSS 127 AEB protocol