Stricter Crash Testing by IIHS (and NHTSA)

[Thai]

As some of you may know, NHTSA made their crash tests more comprehensive in 2011. And now, IIHS has introduced new crash test that will surely kill some cars: IIHS news release

"Nearly every new car performs well in other frontal crash tests conducted by the Institute and the federal government, but we still see more than 10,000 deaths in frontal crashes each year," Institute President Adrian Lund says. "Small overlap crashes are a major source of these fatalities. This new test program is based on years of analyzing real-world frontal crashes and then replicating them in our crash test facility to determine how people are being seriously injured and how cars can be designed to protect them better. We think this is the next step in improving frontal crash protection."

 

[1engineer]

Yep. As long as the manufacturers know the rules they can make them to pass the tests. When the rules change as they are doing now the manufacturers will have to redesign the front end to take a 40mph impact on 25% of frontal area, similar to hitting a tree at 40mph. It will take them a few years and lots of money (read car price increase) to implement it and pass it.

 

[jwyshrek]

Sheet happens, but is there anything we can do to improve mushy mass behind the wheel?