Quote:
Originally Posted by krusty
Not only BMW, but most other manufacturer's as well. They were placing the shock absorbing crumple bars at the front middle, because the tests were testing at the front middle. Now they will have to re-design.
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They are all working with the same testing scheme, so bound to focus on the same areas, driven for best ratings. Any new test and that becomes a focus, as you indicate. That is how it works, whether we like it or not.
Don't forget the current Euro NCAP frontal impact test is a 40% offset, in its time, arrived at looking at accident statistics. So now we move on, based on revised statistics (at least another set of accident statistics) and so will the 'steer' of manufacturers.
Looking under the surface, it is clear even organizations like Euro NCAP have concerns on how the manufacturers are testing to get top results in the NCAP tests, and how it can draw attention away from other areas of safety. But to be fair, that is always the way when specific test standards are the focus, often too simplistic.
Euro NCAP recognises that there are limitations to the current testing, one area of concern is how a real car to car collision will end in practice. Get our heads around that one, what and how we hit it, the affect on occupants and on the impacted vehicle and its occupants. Imagine how extensive any testing would have to be to have any significant meaning. Let alone build the car that copes with all the variables.
Compatibility between dissimilar vehicles is not addressed in the current frontal test. Elementary stuff in reality, so we still have a long way to go with passive safety. Even while car companies are looking more at active safety and accident avoidance systems, which in reality will likely do more to cope with all the variables, than trying to make the all encompassing safety cell.
HighlandPete