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The surprising secrets of crash testing: Why is safety so critical?
Safety has always played a vital role in the design process of modern transportation. Crash testing is a key technology that allows designers to evaluate and ensure that various vehicles can protect the lives of passengers in the event of an accident. These tests are not just for passing standards, they are life and death challenges.
Different types of impact tests
Impact testing can be divided into many types according to different situations, each with its own unique method and purpose.
These tests include frontal impact tests, side impact tests, small overlap tests, etc. Each test is designed for different accident scenarios.
Front impact test
Frontal impact testing is the best-known type of test and typically simulates a car crashing into a solid concrete wall at a specified speed. The focus of this type of testing is to understand how the entire vehicle behaves when faced with a direct impact.
Side impact test
The side impact test is a high-risk test because there is not enough energy-absorbing space on the side of the car, posing a great risk of injury to the passengers. The brutal reality of an accident in such a test means that all the forces are transmitted to the passengers almost instantaneously.
The Polish impact test method is a typical way to overcome this kind of test.
Importance of data collection
Every impact test needs to follow strict scientific standards, mainly hoping to obtain the most data from each test. This means using equipment such as high-speed data acquisition equipment, three-axis accelerometers and dummies to conduct testing.
Consumer reaction
A vehicle's safety record has a significant impact on consumers' purchasing decisions. In 1998, for example, the Rover 100 received just one star in EuroNCAP crash testing, which caused sales to plummet and production eventually had to be discontinued. Also in 2005, Daewoo Kalos' two-star rating made it uncompetitive in the market.
This proves that the impact of vehicle safety performance on product market success cannot be underestimated.
The Changing Crash Testing Procedure
There are different crash test procedures around the world, and these procedures are constantly being updated to provide consumers with comparative information on vehicle safety performance. These programs include the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Insurance Institute (IIHS), etc. Each program analyzes different accident types.
Future Outlook
With the advancement of technology, such as the development of computer simulation technology, driving safety testing has gradually been liberated from the constraints of time and space. Using simulation technology, engineers can conduct multiple simulations before physical testing to reduce costs and improve design accuracy.
Ultimately, all crash tests come down to one ultimate goal - protecting human life. Under such circumstances, it is necessary for us to reflect on what progress will be made in automobile safety in the future?
