Insurance Institute for Highway Safety alters crash test practices
The
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has altered its testing policy for frontal offset crashes, allowing
automakers of top-rated vehicles to submit test data to verify before the institute issues a rating. Nine vehicles for
2006, including the Buick Lucerne (pictured), Hyundai Azera, and the Toyota RAV4, have already received good ratings
based on submitted data from their automakers.The IIHS instituted the new policy based on automakers' improvements in frontal crash protection. Note: only redesigned vehicles are eligible for this policy. The institute will still test 'substantially redesigned' models, and will also perform audits on eligible vehicles to verify automakers' data.
The IIHS plans to use resources freed from the new policy towards side-impact crash tests and avoidance technologies.
[Source: Associated Press via Houston Chronicle]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
far jr 5:44PM (4/01/2006)
Yeah, like there is not going to be any manipulation of the data sent from the manufacturer to the IIHS. "Hey Joe, lets just send the best 3 out of 8 crash test videos/ data on that car to the IIHS... you know the other 5 where the crash dummy was killed were just statistical anomolies." What will prevent this from happening?
Reply
James Fabin 8:37PM (4/01/2006)
I watch all the latest crash test on CarTV.com (http://www.cartv.com/content/research/channels/index.cfm/channel/cartv_video/action/showvideo/vid/cr_0052/vscat/Safety/vcat/Feature/pagenum/1/MAKE_VCH/Ford/MODEL_VCH/Fusion) and some manufacturers (Hyundai, Toyota, Audi, for example) do really well each time. I can see the IIHS allowing those that have proved themselved to submit some crash data - but I'd still like to see follow-up from an third party. Some manufactuers have been performing poor - shockingly poor in some of the videos. I would hope that those without a strong lineup of safe cars would not be allowed onto this new program.
The third party crash testing is really important. Check out this video of the IIHS crash testing the Hyundai Sonata (http://www.cartv.com/content/research/channels/index.cfm/channel/cartv_video/action/showvideo/vid/cr_0051/vscat/Safety/vcat/Feature/pagenum/1/MAKE_VCH/Hyundai/MODEL_VCH/Sonata). They show the current 2006 Sonata as well as going back to an older version of the vehicle. You see them side by side crashing and the improvements are just amazing. This is a perfect example of third party testing being used seriously by the manufacturer to improve the car. In my opinion, the IIHS needs to be careful who they allow into this program - some manufacturers are not responding like Hyundai did with improvements.
Reply