Crash test

Last updated
A crash test of the Honda Ridgeline by the NHTSA
Frontal small-overlap crash test of a 2012 Honda Odyssey CN12003.jpg
Frontal small-overlap crash test of a 2012 Honda Odyssey
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan being struck by a mobile deformable barrier at 62 km/h V10341P101.jpg
2018 Dodge Grand Caravan being struck by a mobile deformable barrier at 62 km/h
2016 Honda Fit striking a wall head-on at 56 km/h Honda Fit - Impact Still.jpg
2016 Honda Fit striking a wall head-on at 56 km/h
Driver-side oblique crash test of a 2017 Honda Ridgeline 2017 Honda Ridgeline Crash Test-NHTSA.gif
Driver-side oblique crash test of a 2017 Honda Ridgeline
Jeep Liberty undergoing routine impact testing at Chrysler's Proving Grounds Jeep Liberty Rear Impact Test.png
Jeep Liberty undergoing routine impact testing at Chrysler's Proving Grounds
NHTSA research crash test involving two Ford Five Hundreds V06865P614.jpg
NHTSA research crash test involving two Ford Five Hundreds
Full-scale crash test of various airbag technologies on an AH-1G (Mod) helicopter Active Crew Restraint Demonstration.jpg
Full-scale crash test of various airbag technologies on an AH-1G (Mod) helicopter

A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation (see automobile safety) or related systems and components.

Contents

Types

Major providers

Fiat 500 del 2007 in Euro NCAP crash test (Torino museum) Fiat 500 Crash Test (Torino Museo Nazionale Automobile ).jpg
Fiat 500 del 2007 in Euro NCAP crash test (Torino museum)
NameAbbreviationFoundedLocation
United States New Car Assessment Program US NCAP (U.S. NCAP)1978 Washington, DC, United States
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety IIHS1959, first crash test 1969, ratings from 1995 Arlington, VA, United States
Australasian New Car Assessment Program ANCAP1993Canberra, Australia
Japan New Car Assessment ProgrammeJNCAP1995Tokyo, Japan
European New Car Assessment Programme Euro NCAP1996 Leuven, Belgium
Korean New Car Assessment ProgrammeKNCAP1999Seoul, South Korea
China – New Car Assessment Programme C-NCAP2006Tianjin, China
Latin New Car Assessment Programme Latin NCAP2010Montevideo, Uruguay
New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asia ASEAN NCAP2011 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
Global New Car Assessment Programme Global NCAP2011London, UK
Taiwan New Car Assessment Program TNCAP2018, ratings from 2023 Changhua, Taiwan
Green NCAP (operated by Euro NCAP for emissions)Green NCAP2019 Leuven, Belgium
Bharat New Car Assessment Program Bharat NCAP2023Pune, India

Data collection

Crash test graphics POLO1a.JPG
Crash test graphics
Crash test dummy left paraplegic after a severe oblique crash test inside a 1997 Geo Metro V04968P052.jpg
Crash test dummy left paraplegic after a severe oblique crash test inside a 1997 Geo Metro

Crash tests are conducted under rigorous scientific and safety standards. Each crash test is very expensive so the maximum amount of data must be extracted from each test. Usually, this requires the use of high-speed data-acquisition, at least one triaxial accelerometer and a crash test dummy, but often includes more.

Some organizations that conduct crash tests include Calspan, an independent test laboratory in Buffalo, NY. As a result of the capabilities and expertise at Calspan, Calspan has been awarded 5 year contracts by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to execute for the NHTSA FMVSS No. 214, Side Impact Protection Compliance Testing, FMVSS No. 301 Fuel System Integrity, and FMVSS No. 305 Electric Powered Vehicles: Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection vehicle crash tests. Calspan also holds the NHTSA contracts for executing New Car Assessment Program crash tests.

Also, the Monash University department of civil engineering routinely conducts crash tests for the purposes of roadside barrier safety and design.

Consumer response

Crash testing programs

There are a number of crash test programs around the world dedicated to providing consumers with a source of comparitative information in relation to the safety performance of new and used vehicles. Examples of new car crash test programs include National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's NCAP, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Australasian New Car Assessment Program, EuroNCAP and JapNCAP. Programs such as the Used Car Safety Ratings provide consumers information on the safety performance of vehicles based on real world crash data.

In 2020, EuroNCAP introduces a mobile progressive deformable barrier (MPDB) test first experimented on the Toyota Yaris. [6]

See also

References

  1. "Newly Developed Roof Crush Test Proves Existence of Safer Vehicles that can Withstand Rollover Crashes". The Center for Auto Safety. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  2. "Ford Fiesta Vs Ford Sierra". ADAC. Archived from the original on April 19, 2008.
  3. Renault Modus Vs Volvo 940. Archived from the original on February 16, 2014.
  4. Alba, Michael (2024-08-27). "Altair and Oasys team up for safety modeling, and more simulation news". Engineering.com. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  5. Fallah, Alborz (14 June 2006). "Holden Barina 2006 Poor Safety Slows Sales". CarAdvice.
  6. "Euro NCAP | 500 - Server Error".