Description and conditions of car crash tests
Content
Safety is one of the key parameters that buyers analyze when choosing a car. To assess all the risks and reliability of a vehicle, assessments of the so-called crash tests are used. The tests are carried out by both manufacturers and independent experts, which allows an unbiased assessment of the quality of a car. But before using the information, it is advisable to understand what crash tests are, who conducts them, how the results are assessed and other features of the process.
What is a car crash test
Crash test is the deliberate creation of an emergency situation and collisions of varying degrees of danger (complexity). The method allows assessing the safety of the vehicle structure, identifying visible defects and improving the effectiveness of the protection system in such a way as to minimize the risks of injury to passengers and drivers in accidents. The main standard types of crash tests (types of impacts):
- Head-on collision - a car at a speed of 55 km / h drives into a concrete obstacle 1,5 meters high and weighing 1,5 tons. This allows you to assess the consequences of a collision with oncoming traffic, walls or poles.
- Side Collision - An assessment of the outcome of a truck or SUV accident in a side impact. The car and an obstacle weighing 1,5 tons are accelerated to a speed of 65 km / h, after which it crashes into the right or left side.
- Rear collision - an obstacle weighing 35 tonnes hits the vehicle at a speed of 0,95 km / h.
- Collision with a pedestrian - a car knocks down a human dummy at speeds of 20, 30 and 40 km / h.
The more tests are carried out on the vehicle and the better the results, the safer it is to use the vehicle under real conditions. Test conditions differ depending on the organization that conducts them.
Who conducts crash tests
Car manufacturers and private companies conduct crash tests. The first is to recognize the structural weaknesses and defects of the machine in order to correct the problems before starting mass production. Also, such an assessment allows us to show consumers that the car is reliable and capable of withstanding heavy loads and unforeseen circumstances.
Private companies carry out vehicle safety assessments to inform people. Since the manufacturer is interested in the number of sales, it can hide poor crash test results or only talk about the parameters that are needed. Independent companies can provide honest vehicle assessments.
Crash test data is used to compile vehicle safety ratings. In addition, they are taken into account by state regulatory bodies when certifying a vehicle and admitting it for sale in the country.
The information obtained allows for a comprehensive analysis of the safety of a particular vehicle. Inside the car, special mannequins are placed that imitate the driver and passengers. They are used to assess the severity of damage and the level of damage to human health in collisions.
International Automobile Valuation Associations
One of the most famous organizations is Euro NCAP - the European committee for the assessment of new cars, including the level of passive and active safety, which has been operating since 1997 in the EU countries. The company analyzes information such as the protection of drivers, adult passengers and children, and pedestrians. Euro NCAP publishes a car rating system annually with a total five-star rating.
An alternative version of the European company emerged in America from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2007 under the name US’n’CUP... It was created to assess the reliability of a car and confidence in the safety of the driver and passengers. Americans have stopped relying on traditional frontal and side impact tests. Unlike EuroNCAP, the US'n'CUP association introduced a 13-point rating system and organized tests in the form of a colorful show.
In Russia, this activity is carried out ARCAP - the first Russian independent rating of passive vehicle safety. China has its own organization - C-NCAP.
How crash test results are assessed
To assess the results of collisions, special dummies are used that imitate the size of an average person. For greater accuracy, several dummies are used, including the driver's seat, front passenger seat and rear seat passenger. All subjects are fastened with seat belts, after which an accident is simulated.
With the help of special devices, the force of the impact is measured and the possible consequences of a collision are predicted. Based on the likelihood of injury, the car receives a star rating. The higher the chance of injury or serious health consequences, the lower the score. The overall safety and reliability of the machine depends on parameters such as:
- the presence of seat belts, pretensioners, force limiters;
- the presence of airbags for passengers, the driver, and also side;
- maximum overload of the head, bending moment of the neck, compression of the chest, etc.
Additionally, the deformations of the body and the possibility of evacuation from the car in an emergency state (door opening) are assessed.
Test conditions and rules
All vehicle tests are carried out in accordance with the standard. Test rules and assessment conditions may vary based on local laws. For example, consider European EuroNCAP rules:
- frontal impact - 40% overlap, deformable aluminum honeycomb barrier, speed 64 km / h;
- side impact - speed 50 km / h, deformable barrier;
- side impact on a pole - speed 29 km / h, assessment of protection of all parts of the body.
In collisions, there is such a thing as overlapping... This is an indicator that characterizes the percentage of the collision area of a car with an obstacle. For example, when half the front is hitting a concrete wall, the overlap is 50%.
Test dummies
The development of test dummies is a challenging task as the results of independent evaluations depend on it. They are produced according to world standards and equipped with sensors such as:
- head accelerometers;
- cervical pressure sensor;
- knee;
- thoracic and spinal accelerometers.
The indicators obtained during collisions make it possible to predict the risks of injury and the safety of real passengers. In this case, mannequins are produced in accordance with the average indicators: height, weight, shoulder width. Some manufacturers create mannequins with non-standard parameters: overweight, tall, pregnant, etc.
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