Sensors in the dummy measure the risks of injuries to the head, neck, chest and abdomen during frontal and side impact crash tests. A frontal crash test simulates a head-on collision as a car crashes into a solid concrete barrier at 56 km/h. In a side impact test a 1.368 kg. sled runs into the side of the car. It simulates a car that is crossing an intersection being side swiped by a car running a red light. Based on the results of these crash tests a rating is assigned from zero to five.
Failing a crash test is also not impossible. Many vehicles, which are sold in countries with relaxed safety standards, scored a rating of zero and tests by the global New Car Assessment Program NCAP and failed to protect passengers in a head on collision. Many cars still provides only the driver with an airbag, without front seat belt pretensioners, which tightened the seat belts to place the occupant in the optimal seating position during a collision. And most importantly, the missing of an effective crumple zone or the section that’s designed to absorb and re distribute the force of a collision.
In contrast, other models features full size air bags for both front seats, along with overhead airbags and side airbags for their rear seat. The effects were made clear by the injuries on the driver and passenger dummies. Crash testing is one of the most important components in the design of cars. It has made newer cars safer than ever before.
Statistics suggest the driver is 10 times more likely to suffer from fatal injuries in a 30 year old model, compared to the latest vehicles. So what’s changed in the making of cars? Newer vehicles not only provide safety during collisions with improved seatbelts. Airbags and crumple zones, but they also prevent collisions in the first place. Modern cars, also offer advanced safety features, such as a collision mitigation, emergency breaking system, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping assist system.
Cars are becoming more sophisticated and expensive. Even so, they must still undergo extensive crash tests to meet all the safety standards.
There are many UNECE safety Regulations that automotive companies must comply before put their products on the market:
- UN Regulation No. 94, frontal collision protection;
- UN Regulation No. 95, lateral collision protection;
- UN Regulation No. 135, pole side impact;
- UN Regulation No. 137, frontal impact with focus on restraint systems.
ATS Group help automotive companies to comply safety standards accross the world. ATS Group adapts and conforms strictly to the standards of ISO 17025, and performs the tests required by the regulatory acts for which it has also been designated in the infrastructures of a manufacturer or a third party, in the field of Automotive, in order to respond in the best possible way. to the needs of manufacturers and to be more in line with what is required by the Regulations.
ATS Group, thanks to a network of accredited and recognized test laboratories, is able to perform reliability and homologation tests of vehicles and components, in compliance with the main national and international standards or according to specific customer requests.