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January 05, 2006
CRASH COMPATIBILITY PROGRESS REPORTED
Two years ago, major auto companies, in a collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, initiated a voluntary program to tackle part of an old and troublesome problem the lack of crash compatability between vehicles of different makes, models, sizes, years and other relevant characteristics. The companies publicly committed to establish criteria to further reduce the potential for vehicle override and underride in serious front-to-front crashes between cars and light trucks by requiring sufficient overlap between the primary energy-absorbing (PEAS) structures of the two vehicle types, and to have all new vehicles conform to the criteria no later than 2009.
In a progress report to NHTSA the companies have stated that at present, approximately 33% of 2005 model year vehicles are meeting the performance criteria established in the program for front-to-side crashes and 62% of 2005 model year vehicles are meeting the performance criteria established for front-to-front crashes. The report provides details of the compatibility test criteria and development methodologies, along with a discussion of the programs plans for 2006.
Posted by MVHAP at January 5, 2006 11:26 AM