Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Tata Nano passes European crash testing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/14/report-tata-nano-passes-european-crash-testing/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/14/report-tata-nano-passes-european-crash-testing/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/14/report-tata-nano-passes-european-crash-testing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


2009 Tato Nano - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Tata Nano, the diminutive Indian four-door econobox rumored to eventually arrive in U.S. showrooms, has reportedly passed current European impact testing. According to Autocar, the offset front and side impact tests took place at the MIRA test center last week under supervision by an inspector from Britain's Vehicle Certification Authority. A spokesperson for Tata said the company is "delighted but not surprised" with the results, as the car had already been tested in India.

Sold only in its homeland right now, Tata seems determined to expand its passenger vehicle business to Europe and North America. With that in mind, the automaker is working to upgrade the Nano to ensure the Lilliputian meets "Westernized" crash standards, including the European NCAP tests, and our own NHTSA requirements.


Gallery: Geneva 2009: Tata Nano Europa


[Source: Autocar UK]

REPORT: Tata Nano passes European crash testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about to add some more safety measures to your next new car? According to The Detroit News, they might be. The Motown daily says that government officials are pondering whether or not they should require new vehicles to be fitted with lane-departure warning systems and automatic braking systems that trigger upon warning of an impending accident. Both systems are currently available only in very small percentage of new passenger cars - primarily luxury vehicles. According to the DetNews report, safety experts believe that the systems "show significant promise" in their ability to reduce traffic accident-related fatalities and injuries.

NHTSA will decide whether to require such systems in 2011 after further cost-benefit analysis, including looking at insurance company data and estimated manufacturing costs. It has already added new components to its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) for 2011 vehicles, including a test that measures the effectiveness of lane-departure warning systems and a different frontal-crash program.

NHTSA hopes to announce its findings by the end of the year.

[Source: The Detroit News]

REPORT: NHTSA to mandate lane departure warning and auto-brake systems? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto safetyAutoSafetybike absBikeAbscar safetyCarSafetylane departurelane departure warningLaneDepartureLaneDepartureWarningmotorcycle absMotorcycleAbsNCAPnew car assessment programNewCarAssessmentProgramnhtsaFri, 03 Jul 2009 13:44:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/30/video-kia-soul-aces-euro-ncap-crash-tests/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above to watch the Kia Soul's Euro NCAP crash tests

There is no rating yet for the Kia Soul in the U.S., but in Europe the car did the business: the Soul scored five stars on the NCAP frontal offset, side impact and pole crash tests, doing no worse than "marginal" in just two areas. In the frontal offset test the windshield doesn't crack and there is only minor cosmetic damage aft of the front door's front shut line. It's a big result for a little car, and if it has the reliability to match it should do very, very well. Thanks for the tip, GenGT!


Gallery: Kia Soul Euro NCAP Test



[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests

VIDEO: Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 30 May 2009 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it comes to vehicle crash safety, the general consensus is that having a roof over your head leads to a better outcome. Ford has just proven that this isn't always the case with its 2008 Ford Mustang convertible, which has become the first and only convertible of any type to be given a five-star safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In its latest New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) round of testing, the Mustang drop-top took top honors in a field of tests that included both crash testing and rollover resistance evaluations. These included frontal crash evaluations for both driver and front-seat passenger, side impact evaluations for both driver and the rear-seat passenger on the driver's side, and even a rollover test.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Mustang Convertible aces NHTSA crash tests

Ford Mustang Convertible aces NHTSA crash tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crashMustangNCAPThu, 04 Oct 2007 14:03:00 EST<![CDATA[NHTSA head says crash standards should be higher]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/24/nhtsa-head-says-crash-standards-should-be-higher/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/24/nhtsa-head-says-crash-standards-should-be-higher/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/24/nhtsa-head-says-crash-standards-should-be-higher/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nicole Nason, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), maintains that the crash standards that have been on the books since 1973 are due for a revision. Recognizing the 9 out of 10 vehicles routinely score either four- or five-stars on the administration's tests, she's seeking to increase the standards for front- and side-impacts, along with more stringent testing of rollover protection.

The move is due to what some feel are antiquated testing measures, as well as the assertion that automakers engineer vehicles specifically to perform well on the current tests. Increased rollover protection is apparently one of the major goals of the administration, and Nason is planning on rewriting a 2005 proposal that would increase roof strength. However, she concedes that it will only save approximately 100 lives per year.

Automakers have contended for some time that the technological saturation point for crash protection is getting closer, and that driver behavior needs to be addressed. Nason maintains that vehicles should be able to overcome mistakes by the user, saying, "The future of automotive safety is crash avoidance technology." Why these two goals can't be addressed simultaneously is anyone's guess.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

NHTSA head says crash standards should be higher originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crash test changescrash test revisioncrash testsCrashTestChangesCrashTestRevisionCrashTestsimpact testsImpactTestsnational highway traffic safety administrationNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministrationncapnhtsanicole nasonNicoleNasonrevisionrolloverrollover protectionRolloverProtectionMon, 24 Sep 2007 09:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Although the badge shows six, 2008 Forester gets top five-star rating]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/10/although-the-badge-shows-six-2008-forester-gets-top-five-star-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/10/although-the-badge-shows-six-2008-forester-gets-top-five-star-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/10/although-the-badge-shows-six-2008-forester-gets-top-five-star-r/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click above image for gallery

A little background before we get to the news: Subaru is the name of a cluster of some 250 bluish stars in the Taurus constellation. Only six of its stars are visible to the naked eye. Here in the West, the cluster is better-known as Pleiades, but in Japan, it's alternately called Subaru ("to govern" or "gather together") or Mutsuraboshi, which means "Six Stars." And if you've ever looked closely at a Subaru badge, that's exactly what you see, six stars. But take a look at the window sticker on the new 2008 Forester and you'll see only five stars.

Don't let that seem like a letdown, however, for as you probably know, a five-star rating is the highest the NHTSA awards, and it also happens to be the vehicle's most recent score in those NHTSA crash tests. Subaru of America announced the rating today, along with the press release you'll find after the jump. Read it and you'll discover that the '08 Forester earned five star ratings for both front- and side-impact crash tests, for both the driver and passenger. These ratings were for the NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which uses a 10% higher impact speed than the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards -- 38.5 versus 35 mph. Kudos to Mutsuraboshi Subaru. Keep up the good work, and maybe they'll have to change the metric for you.

Check out the 2008 Forester in our gallery below, or see pricing and specs at AOL Autos.

[Source: Subaru]

Gallery: 2008 Subaru Forester

Continue reading Although the badge shows six, 2008 Forester gets top five-star rating

Although the badge shows six, 2008 Forester gets top five-star rating originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When manufacturers get a 5-star crash rating for one of their models, the klieg lights and publicity klaxon get thorough workouts. Those tiny ten-sided polygons have gotten to mean so much to consumers that it's not unusual for a carmaker to drop a few hundred large on prime time commercial space and 60-point text to convey the message. Well, not to deflate anyone's... airbag... but Airbag Solutions has broken down the test methodology and what the results mean in real-world cases. It in no way demeans the quality of the rating system or the work done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as similar tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but it does show that ultimately the ratings apply to a narrower set of circumstances than one might have thought. For instance, crash test dummies replicate effects only for adults -- babies, kids, and teenagers don't count. If you're in a crash at more than 40 mph, or if you hit a car with a weight differential of more than 250 lbs, the rating scale doesn't apply. One would assume that a 5-star car at 38 mph would still be better in a crash at 70 mph than a 3-star car, but there's a lot of gray area around the well-defined boundaries of the protocols. Click the 'Read' link to get the full story.

[Source: Airbag Solutions]

What do 5-star ratings really mean? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford of Australia president Tom Gorman is calling upon the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) to work on its credibility. The Aussie program conducts crash testing programs (not unlike America's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and has recently drawn fire for the manner and frequency with which it alters its criteria.

As a result of recent methodology and scoring changes, Ford's own Courier light truck saw its star ratings decline from three to two-- a dismal showing. Tom Gorman's response: "If you change protocols so frequently you lack legitimacy and credibility with the marketplace."

For its part, General Motors' Chevrolet and Holden criticized the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) on similar grounds, a program that closely mirrors that of Australia. GM did so after getting dinged for a two-star rating on its Chevrolet Aveo/Holden Barina. Authorities at the General had achieved better test results internally, and were apparently upset with the criteria.

[Source: The Red Book AU]

Ford exec calls out Australian crash testing procedures after Courier gets poor marks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ANCAPAveoBarinaChevroletChevyGMGormanHoldenIIHSNCAPNHTSAstar ratingStarRatingSun, 30 Apr 2006 16:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Jaguar XK outside favorite, wins top safety award]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/30/jaguar-xk-outside-favorite-wins-top-safety-award/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/30/jaguar-xk-outside-favorite-wins-top-safety-award/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/30/jaguar-xk-outside-favorite-wins-top-safety-award/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Plowing into pedestrians is best avoided altogether, but if there's no way around it them, ambulatory targets will appreciate it those thoughtful enough to be driving a new Jaguar XK.

That's the word, as the World Traffic Safety Symposium (WTSS) has just granted Jaguar's revitalized coupe its highest award for pedestrian safety. How'd it manage that? With a little help from an explosive hood. As with the Citroen C6 sedan, after an impact is sensed, small pyrotechnic charges push the trailing edge of the hood (near the base of the windshield) upwards, creating an impact-absorbing zone for the unfortunate victims.

[Sources: WhatCar?; Jaguar]

Jaguar XK outside favorite, wins top safety award originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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