186 BMW Group Report 2024 To Our Stakeholders Combined Management Report Group Financial Statements Responsibility Statement and Auditor’s Report Remuneration Report Other Information Sustainability Statement Optimum chassis tuning, highly effective braking systems and stable passenger compartments are of key importance in this re- gard. In addition, the vehicles are equipped with the latest safety systems for active and passive driving safety, which both reduce the risk of accidents occurring – for example, through collision warning or lane departure warning systems – and mitigate the consequences of an accident, for example via airbags or seat belts. To this end, the responsible Company departments con- tinuously monitor the latest research findings on health and safety and take them into account in the requirements for vehicle development. Safety concepts for BMW Group vehicles To protect occupants and other road users, the new vehicle mod- els meet stringent internal safety standards and comply with statutory requirements. The latest findings from in-house re- search into accidents and product monitoring, involvement in na- tional and international research projects, and analyses of exter- nal accident databases are fed into the development process. The growing demands of international consumer protection or- ganisations, such as the New Car Assessment Programmes (NCAP) worldwide, constitute an important element and are also taken into account. With this in mind, our security concepts are designed to be broadly applicable and consider, among other things, factors such as height, build and gender. In addition, all BMW Group automobiles worldwide have been equipped with an automatic emergency braking system since the roll-out of the most recent generation of on-board electrical systems. In particular, child protection requires specific criteria to be ap- plied in vehicle design. This is how the Company ensures that its vehicles are compatible with all commonly available types of child car seats. In addition, the safety of children is considered both in terms of vehicle occupants and as road users. To this end, crash tests are conducted for different age groups. Our automatic emergency braking system is designed with children in mind, es- pecially in challenging driving situations. The implementation of these safety criteria is monitored as part of the internal target and reporting system. In the reporting year, the BMW Group again scored highly in in- dependent tests conducted by consumer organisations. Follow- ing top ratings in Europe, the USA and Korea, the BMW 5 Series has now also been awarded by the Chinese C-NCAP and C-IASI programmes1. The new MINI Countryman and the BMW X2 were both awarded five stars by Euro NCAP and named “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the USA. The BMW X5 achieved a Top SafetyPick+. Percentage of vehicle models2 rated by NCAP programmes with an overall five star safety rating3 in % 2024 European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) 85.0 China New Car Assessment Programme (C-NCAP) 100.0 U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) 33.0 Korean New Car Assessment Programme (KNCAP) 100.0 In 2024, the Company performed safety- and compliance-re- lated technical operations that affected approximately 12.2 mil- lion vehicles3. All of these operations were voluntary and carried out in close coordination with the authorities. The BMW Group works accord- ing to the principle of prevention. To avoid technical operations of this type going forward, the BMW Group has also developed a comprehensive programme that has been in place since 2023. The Company works continuously to further improve the safety of its vehicles. Safeguarding quality standards The problem management process is another component of the quality strategy. It comprises all the elements required to identify, process and resolve technical problems in a sustainable manner, all the way from development and production to use by the cus- tomer. The logging of complaints regarding safety-related defects fulfils a legal requirement. This involves the use of defined sensors that collect and evaluate data relevant to products in series produc- tion. The problem management process ensures that irregulari- ties are identified reliably, forwarded for processing and that the solution is followed up. The BMW Group has set itself the goal to address 100% of these complaints within one year. This indicator has been published since the 2022 financial year and is compiled on an annual basis. The reference period is 1 December of the previous year to 30 November of the report- ing year. The target has not changed since the indicator was es- tablished, and the target has been met every year. In the report- ing year 2024, 100% of the safety and compliance-related problems were passed on to the responsible departments for resolution. In addition, the problem management process is continually monitored using other internal metrics, with any weak points be- ing identified and optimised. Raising awareness of safe driving The BMW Group is committed to road safety and, in this context, offers a range of driver training courses. The options range from the standard BMW Safety Training course to the compact half- day Safety Compact programme and a tailored course for people with disabilities. Each of these offerings aims to improve driving skills, boost self-confidence behind the wheel and, as a result, increase the safety of all road users. 1 China Insurance Automotive Safety Index. 2 Vehicle models that were listed in the BMW Group portfolio at the end of the 2024 reporting year. 3 Additional disclosure, based on SASB ↗ SASB Index.