Renault Korea drives safety innovation

Renault Korea's Arkana SUV / Courtesy of Renault Korea

Renault Korea proved its strength in vehicle safety, with two key models — the Grand Koleos and Arkana — winning top ratings in a recent auto assessment program here, the carmaker said Sunday.

According to the carmaker, the Grand Koleos mid-size SUV and the Arkana small SUV received the top ratings from the 2024 Korea New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP). The program was overseen by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority.

The two vehicles achieved decent ratings across 21 safety categories, including pedestrian protection and accident avoidance.

The Grand Koleos in particular earned the honor of top-rated SUV here by clinching a score of 86.9 points in the assessment.

Renault Korea said it will continue building customer trust by upholding its human-first management philosophy.

The carmaker is adopting multiple safety-focused vehicle systems represented by its hybrid E-Tech powertrain. These vehicles, equipped with the E-Tech hybrid system, feature prismatic cells known for their durability and impact resistance.

Even if the powertrain comes with a smaller battery capacity than fully electric cars, vehicles with Renault’s patented hybrid system feature liquid cooling systems, which strengthen battery safety, according to the carmaker. Renault Korea also places a strategic focus on tightening in-vehicle safety with a series of cutting-edge driver assistance systems, it added.

The carmaker is also standing at the forefront in ensuring global electric vehicle (EV) safety by opening its proprietary “Fireman Access” technology to carmakers here and abroad. The decision came as part of the carmaker’s efforts to ease lingering concerns over EV battery fires.

The Fireman Access system is designed with a pathway inside the vehicle’s battery case, sealed with an adhesive disk. In the case of an EV fire, the force of a fire hose’s water pressure can puncture the seal and directly target the affected battery cells.

According to data from Renault, the technology can reduce the time for EV fire suppression from over four hours to only about 10 minutes. It can also cut water usage by nearly 90 percent.

“The top scores in both domestic and international safety assessments reinforce our dedication to achieving human-first management,” an official from Renault Korea said.

“We will continue building our brand identity as one of the safest carmakers with an unwavering investment on vehicle safety.”