Why Are Skoda Cars Simply Clever, Simply Safe?

On April 4, 1996, the Skoda Octavia rolled out of the Mladá Boleslav factory with a high degree of active and passive safety measures. The Octavia name was especially popular in Europe, and by November 2010, 9.70 lakh notchbacks and more than 4.7 lakh estates of the first-generation Octavia had been shipped worldwide. By the time the second-generation Octavia (sold as the Laura in India) arrived, the Octavia name had evolved to a proper value luxury product with the highest level of safety for all passengers, as well as several technological improvements, most notably the petrol engines with direct injection and the automated dual-clutch transmission (DSG). Assets that were to be found only in premium, rear-wheel-drive vehicles. The Octavia laid the path for the company's subsequent models, which contributed to its ‘Simply Clever, Simply Safe’ slogan. 

Also Read: Here's Why The Skoda Kushaq Is India’s Safest Family Car

The Mladá Boleslav-based firm-built vehicles based on active safety, with the goal of averting accidents and high-risk circumstances. While Skoda vehicles are designed to survive all types of crashes, which necessitates a high-quality, strong body structure, the Kushaq is the first car by the company based on a market-specific platform. As part of India 2.0, Skoda’s teams in India and the Czech Republic developed the MQB-A0-IN platform for the Indian customer with an aim to deliver low cost of maintenance, high localisation of parts, with the universal appeal to enter newer car markets outside India and Europe. 

And it seems this new platform continues with Skoda’s dogged pursuit of safety with the Kushaq scoring a 5-star rating for both adult and child occupancy by the Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP). It’s the only car made in India to do so, and the only car tested under the newer, more stringent GNCAP protocols.

Commenting on the Kushaq’s accomplishment, Petr Šolc, Brand Director, ŠKODA AUTO India said, “At ŠKODA, safety is not just a feature. It is an essential part of our brand DNA. Today, I am extremely proud to share that the KUSHAQ has received a 5-star safety rating by Global NCAP for both adult and child occupants, making it the first car made in India to do so. It is a proud moment for all of us at ŠKODA to have India’s safest family car leading our growth story in India. The KUSHAQ, along with the SLAVIA, drives the success of ŠKODA’s INDIA 2.0 project. In a very short time, it has created a space for itself among SUV enthusiasts across the country. The intelligent, Simply Clever solutions and advanced safety features have been appreciated by experts as well as our valuable customers.”

Let's look at the standard safety measures on the Kushaq SUV, which earned it the title of India's Safest Family Car. 

Antilock Brake System (ABS)

Have you ever been driving along the road and abruptly used the brakes to escape a collision? This might be frightening, but as a first response, the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and traction control kick in instantly, allowing the driver to manoeuvre while braking. The ABS, which is standard on the Skoda Kushaq, avoids the wheels from getting locked and alters braking force on individual wheels allowing the driver and the vehicle to be in control of the motion of the car and avoid any obstacles. The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) constantly checks data from each wheel's speed sensors, and hydraulics are activated simultaneously if any wheel experiences a sudden deceleration or locking. 

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

This is the key to Skoda Kushaq’s ability to remain stable around corners. The standard fitment ESC, or Electronic Stability Control, supports the Kushaq in critical situations where the car is about to slip by comparing real-time data of the vehicle's driving behaviour to pre-set settings. If these values do not match, the engine control unit instructs the vehicle to stabilise it, assisting in the prevention of the wheels' locking. The ESC on the Skoda Kushaq greatly assists the driver and is one of the SUV's critical safety features available across models. 

Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)

The Anti-Slip Regulation, or ASR, is an important feature in the Skoda Kushaq since it automatically adjusts the wheelspin during acceleration to prevent losing control of the car while accelerating on dry or wet surfaces. Its objective is to provide the driver entire control of the vehicle and to deliver an effective power transfer to the road. This improves both handling and fuel economy. 

Multi-Collision Brake

Another standard feature on the Skoda Kushaq is the Multi-Collision Brake, which activates the braking system when an incident happens, bringing the vehicle to a gradual standstill, and averting another collision. 

Airbags

While all the above features are active safety technologies that do their best in averting an incident in the first place, airbags are crucial in the event of an actual incident. The primary role of airbags in Skoda vehicles is to protect occupants from impact from the vehicle's components in the case of a crash. All Skoda’s come with a minimum of 2 airbags going up to a maximum of 7. This in unison with the platform’s own crash-absorbent properties that do their best in ensuring the passenger cabin remains free from any crash intrusions and the area around the cabin crumples and absorbs all impact, mitigating injuries and saving lives. 

ISOFIX

ISOFIX anchoring hooks on the rear seats allow the child seats to be more securely attached to the vehicle's body. In case of an accident, the child's progress is slowed, avoiding any mishaps. This is standard on the Skoda Kushaq, as is a three-point seat belt for the rear middle passenger. It is the key component that earned the Kushaq a full 5 stars for child occupants, a feat no other made-in-India car has achieved in GNCAP’s crash tests so far. 

Last but not the least

All these standard safety features surely helped make the Kushaq the safest car in India. But what also helps are other standard features that make your drive convenient and safe. 

Tyre Pressure Monitoring as standard ensures you are always aware if any of your tyres have lost pressure rapidly. 

Automatic headlights and automatic rain-sensing wipers ensure accurate visibility in all lighting and weather conditions allowing the driver to focus on the driving and not worry about the headlight beam or wiper speed.

Brake Disc Wiping enables the Kushaq to ensure optimum braking by periodically eliminating any film of mud, slush, water or other hindrances ensuring the brake discs are always clean when you need them for emergency braking. 

EDS with XDS is another standard feature in the Kushaq that offers Electronic and Advanced Differential locks to the axles to ensure even traction when accelerating out of corners. 

Rollover Protection keeps the Kushaq on the ground and averts the possibility of the car rolling over. 

Hydraulic Brake Boost ensures the maximum braking force available for emergency situations 

Skoda cars are therefore Simply Clever and Simply Safe! The extensive safety equipment offered, in addition to superb construction, a solid body structure, and crash-absorbent design explains the 5-star rating on the Kushaq. Skoda has maintained its commitment to India and its long legacy of well-engineered vehicles that have never compromised safety—proving its motto to Protect What Matters.