At MotorWeek, we review the performance capabilities of well over a hundred new cars and trucks a year. But, when it comes to a thorough safety review, we turn to the folks at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and their expertise of the safest vehicles on the road today.

And, the best news about the Institute’s 2015 Top Safety Picks list is that the number of winners has nearly doubled to over 70—compared to last year. A winner earns either a “Top Safety Pick” or “Top Safety Pick +” rating from the IIHS.

Top winners must earn an acceptable or good rating in the challenging, small, overlap front crash test, and “good” ratings in all other categories. A new qualification for the Top Safety Pick + rating requires vehicles to have front crash prevention systems that automatically slow or completely stop the vehicle.

But even as the criterion gets harder, it seems automakers are willing to adjust. The 33 vehicles earning “+” ratings this year shows that autonomous braking systems are gaining traction.   

A full list of the top safety picks can be found on the Insurance Institute’s website. Now, keep in mind most manufacturers use these ratings as a major selling point---so it won’t be hard to figure out which ones have earned the Institute’s top honors. And that’s it for this week’s MotorNews.