Chrysler 2012 Annual Report Download - page 89

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Mobility and Safety
Improving safety for drivers, passengers and other road users is a key ingredient in Fiat Group’s approach to sustainable mobility.
Identifying new solutions that improve both active and passive vehicle safety and promoting initiatives that encourage responsible
driving behavior are fundamental to a philosophy that, over the years, has produced significant results.
In 2012, for example, the new Fiat 500L, designed to meet the latest international standards and ensure customers the maximum level
of safety, was awarded the prestigious Euro NCAP 5-star safety rating. The vehicle achieved an overall rating of 83/100, with a score
of 94% for adult protection, 78% for child protection, 65% for pedestrian protection and 71% for safety assist systems.
In the U.S., the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) included 12 Chrysler Group models on its “Top Safety Pick 2013” list,
including the new Dodge Dart. To be selected as Top Safety Pick, vehicles must receive the highest possible ratings in front, side, rear
and rollover tests conducted by the Institute. They also have to be equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard, which
Chrysler Group began introducing on its models in 2003.
In its “Best-in-Class Cars of 2012”, Euro NCAP named the Fiat 500L as one of the two safest cars in the Small MPV category. The
ranking is based on the test results for 36 vehicles available in the European market.
The Dodge Dart also achieved 5 stars in the NCAP tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
the U.S. The Fiat Viaggio was also recently awarded 5 stars in the C-NCAP crash tests using the new 2012 standards. These results
are further evidence of the level of attention given to safety by the Group, irrespective of local market requirements.
Among the safety challenges to be addressed in the near term are
reducing driver distraction and improving the ability of vehicles to
recognize potentially dangerous situations. Through Vehicle-to-Vehicle
(V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication that depend
on wireless technologies, safety can be enhanced by assisting drivers
at critical moments.
A Customer-focused Approach
Customer satisfaction is a key focus around which the Group centers a
variety of activities and processes: from the concept and design phase
of new models, to the experience at the dealer and the quality of after-
sales service and support.
Product Quality
Continuous improvements in product quality to meet the increasing
expectations of the market are essential to ensuring the satisfaction of
customers. Through direct interaction with customers – including tools
for customer feedback and research into evolving market trends – the
Group strives to ensure its product offering meets the expectations of
even the most demanding customer. The Group constantly monitors
the quality of its products to ensure they are competitive.
All aspects of a vehicle’s performance are analyzed from the customer
viewpoint and engineered to achieve benchmarks of excellence in
various markets.
For each product line, there is a team of specialized personnel,
operating on a cross-functional basis, that monitors processes during
the production phase and defines areas for improvement and related
action plans.
Sustainability Report on
Operations