X-tra Specific: Mercedes-Benz develops x-ray imaging to capture automotive collision data
Toronto, Ontario — Mercedes-Benz has reportedly harnessed the power of high-speed X-ray imaging to capture side impact collision data. To do this, the automaker suspended a linear accelerator from the ceiling above the test vehicle to serve as an X-ray camera which captured every millisecond of the controlled collision. On board the test vehicle, a […]
Breaking Barriers: Crash tests indicate electric vehicles are too heavy for highway guardrails
Toronto, Ontario — Engineers with the University of Nebraska’s road safety testing facility have discovered that electric vehicles are too heavy to be stopped by highway guardrails. On Wednesday, engineers with the university released their initial crash test results in which a 2022 Rivian R1T—which weighs nearly four tonnes—was rammed into the same type of […]
Forgery Fallouts: Daihatsu automotive admits to forging crash test results for 30 years
Tokyo, Japan — Daihatsu automotive has halted the sales and shipments of its vehicles at all Japan factory locations amid a safety probe revealing the automaker has been forging safety tests for the past 30 years. According to the safety investigation made at the end of December by Ministry of Transportation officials, Daihatsu, a subsidiary […]
Securing Your Cargo: Rear-seat safety lags behind in IIHS small pickup crash testing
Toronto, Ontario — Small pickups are the latest vehicle class to fall short when it comes to protecting backseat passengers, as a recent IIHS crash testing session would show, with not a single of the five trucks tested earning a grade of “Good”. The Nissan Frontier fared the best, achieving an “Acceptable” rating, following another […]
Backseat Bruises: Small cars underperform in rear-seat passenger protection, IIHS report says
Toronto, Ontario — Small cars are the latest vehicle to record less-than-stellar results in the IIHS’s updated moderate overlap crash test, with the Institute reporting that many of the tested vehicles failed to protect their rear-seat passengers. Bearing an unfortunate resemblance to its recent testing of midsize SUVs in the same test, the U.S.’s Insurance […]
Frame by Frame: Tesla Cybertruck ‘crash test’ video broken down by crash safety engineers
Toronto, Ontario — Tesla’s attempt at April Fool’s Day humour this year involved a Cybertruck “crash test” video that must have been shot by the crew of “Taken 3”—luckily some automotive safety engineers have taken the time to dissect what can be gleaned from the very goofy teaser. Tesla CEO Elon Musk must have thought […]
Second Row Safety: Midsize SUVs ‘fall short’ on protecting rear seat passengers, IIHS testing shows
Toronto, Ontario — Three months after a less than stellar performance in the IIHS’s moderate overlap front crash test, some automakers have made marginal improvements to the rear seat safety of their vehicles, while others continue to give the issue the back seat. Up from two to four “Good” ratings this time around, some automakers, […]
Small Overlap, Big Difference: Crash ratings reflect real-world safety benefits, IIHS report says
Toronto, Ontario — As it turns out, IIHS crash ratings aren’t simply for bragging rights among OEMs, as a recent report from the institute has found a direct correlation between higher crash test ratings and real-world crash survivability rates. In a report published Thursday, entitled “IIHS small overlap frontal crash test ratings and real-world driver […]
A Collision Division: Female crash test dummies taking up more OEM investment, report says
Toronto, Ontario — The rapid advancement of automotive safety technology over the past several decades has shed light on many aspects of vehicle design that have historically been overlooked, but much work still remains when it comes to developing crash test scenarios that properly account for the “average” female body. A recent study carried out […]
Upstanding EV: Rivian R1T earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ in crash tests
Toronto, Ontario — In what was certainly a long journey to reach Canadian roads, both for prospective owners and the OEM itself, Rivian can proudly boast that its 2022 R1T electric pickup earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award this past week. In addition to a strong showing in the driver-side small overlap front impact […]
