Autoblog

2011 Kia Sportage bags IIHS 'Top Safety Pick'

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:01:00 EST

2011 Kia Sportage - Click above for high-res image gallery

When it comes to the 2011 Kia Sportage, there's a lot to talk about. From where we sit, it's one of the best-looking compact crossovers on the market, it's reasonably priced (starting below $20,000) and as we found out in our first drive, it's a pretty enjoyable steer, too. To add to these selling points, the Sportage was just named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, earning high marks in frontal, side, rear and rollover crash tests.

Top Safety Picks are nothing new for Kia these days - the Soul, Sorento, and Forte sedan have all been given this seal of approval. Follow the jump to read Kia's own words about the Sportage's safety recognition.

Gallery: 2011 Kia Sportage

[Source: Kia]

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2011 Kia Sportage bags IIHS 'Top Safety Pick' originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota's newest safety technology [w/video]

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Safety, Technology, Videos, Lexus, Toyota

Inside Toyota's Higashi-Fuji tech center - Click above for high-res image gallery

Sitting in the shadow of Mount Fuji, Toyota's Higashi-Fuji technical center is part proving grounds and part engineering center. But unlike most facilities, Higashi-Fuji includes an array of engineering and research offices employing over 3,000 employees, and an assortment of non-track test facilities.

The Higashi-Fuji campus opened back in 1966 and has grown to encompass nearly 2.7 millionsquare feet of facility floor space. We were given the rare opportunity to visit the facility where we witnessed one unique crash test, tried out one of the world's most advanced driving simulators and sampled an assortment of new safety features, including a brake override system, enhanced pre-collision braking, pedestrian detection and updated ABS calibrations for the Prius. Make the jump for the full report.

Gallery: Inside Toyota's Higashi-Fuji tech center

Continue reading Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota's newest safety technology [w/video]

Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota's newest safety technology [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA to update 5-star testing process

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Crash Testing - Click above for high-res image gallery

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is set to debut a new testing procedure for the 2011 model year that will make it more difficult for new cars and trucks to earn the government agency's coveted five-star safety rating. Just as interestingly, the recent influx of electronic safety gadgets, such as lane departure and collision warning, will be included in the testing regiment as well.

NHTSA will calculate one simple-to-understand grade for each vehicle based on how it manages to perform throughout the agency's testing. While the revised parameters promise to make safety-minded comparison shopping between new automobiles a bit easier, it also means that pre-2011 ratings will not be directly comparable to the new ones.

A total of 55 new 2011 cars, trucks and minivans (including the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze seen above undergoing GM's internal safety testing) will be tested by NHTSA with the new procedures, and the list is made up of both brand new models and some of the more popular nameplates Americans seem most likely to purchase in large numbers next year. You can check out NHTSA's official release and the initial list of what cars will be subjected to this new testing regime after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Crash Testing

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

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NHTSA to update 5-star testing process originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM crash test dummy donated to Smithsonian after 15 years of whiplash

Zach Bowman — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, GM

GM's H50-1 ATD in action - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has made an unusual donation to the Smithsonian: a crash test dummy. Well, not just any crash test dummy. The company handed over its H50-1 anthromorphic testing device, or ATD, to the museum to help catalog the advancement of vehicle safety in this country. After a full 15 years of service, H50-1 was ready for retirement, and rather than spend his days playing shuffleboard, The General decided to allow him to continue educating by going on display at the National Museum for American History.

GM also donated a slew of other "safety artifacts" along with its ATD. According to the Smithsonian, GM's dummy design helped to set the industry standard for crash safety research. While H50-1 was constructed as a stand-in for the typical male, the company says that it has over 200 ATD designs to represent every sort of vehicle occupant under the sun. We'd like to see that family portrait. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: GM Donates H50-1 Crash Test Dummy to Smithsonian

[Source: General Motors]

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GM crash test dummy donated to Smithsonian after 15 years of whiplash originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 530d passes crash test using emergency brake intervention

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Safety, Technology, BMW, Diesel, Luxury

The new 2011 BMW 530d has easily passed its first crash test evaluation while using active emergency brake intervention. Like a number of other cars to come to market recently, the 5 Series is available with a radar-based active cruise control system that can use the brake system to manage vehicle speed and keep the car a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Recently these systems have been enhanced with emergency brake intervention that allows full braking force to be applied if crash is imminent - even when the cruise control is not being used.

However, current crash test procedures don't allow for the activation of such systems. For example, in the European 40 mile per hour frontal offset test, the vehicle is expected to crash at 40 mph. In the real world, active braking would reduce the speed of the impact, likely reducing severity as well. However, applying full brakes also causes the nose to pitch down and the cars occupants to shift position can alter the test's results.

As more cars get these types of systems, they need to be accounted for in crash testing, and BMW is working with German testing agency DEKRA to develop new procedures. Check out the official press release after the jump.

[Source: BMW]

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BMW 530d passes crash test using emergency brake intervention originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 May 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS condemns use of mini trucks and low-speed vehicles on public roads

Chris Shunk — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:39:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Ford, Smart

If you live in the U.S. sunbelt or in an upscale gated community, you've probably seen quite a few of those hopped-up electric golf carts trolling around your neighborhood. These low-speed vehicles are great for zipping to the mailbox or heading over to the clubhouse, and the vehicles are currently allowed on select public roads in 46 of the 50 United States. But even though they're perfectly legal in many areas, The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has a pretty serious warning for anyone looking to take these vehicles onto high-traffic areas. IIHS tested both a GEM electric cart and a minitruck in side impact crashes, and the results were sobering to say the least.

The first test was a side impact affair between a GEM EV and a crash barrier moving at 31 miles per hour. The crash test dummy, which was buckled up and in the driver's seat, showed injuries consistent with catastrophic injury or death. IIHS then performed the same test with a Smart ForTwo replacing the barrier, but the results were very similar. The crash, which typically nets relatively low injury risk for vehicles with high safety scores, was so severe that the crash dummy's head almost hits the ForTwo's windshield. Chief research officer David Zuby said that the test shows that these vehicles "weren't designed to protect people in a crash with a microcar like the Smart ForTwo, let alone larger cars, SUVs, and pickups in everyday traffic."

After demolishing a few GEMs, the IIHS then focused its glare on the 2008 Tiger Star minitruck. The Tiger was pitted against a 2010 Ford Ranger in an offset front crash with the minitruck going 25 mph and the Ford 35 mph. The results were similarly catastrophic, with the Ranger dummy relatively unharmed while the Tiger dummy's head hit the steering wheel hard in spite of the fact that it was wearing a safety belt. Hit the jump to read over the IIHS' strongly worded press release.

[Source: The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety]

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IIHS condemns use of mini trucks and low-speed vehicles on public roads originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 May 2010 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pole Dance: NHTSA to add new side-impact crash test? [w/VIDEO]

Dan Roth — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:56:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, Ford

NHTSA side-impact pole test - click above to watch the video

Not satisfied with cars that manage crash forces well enough to avoid spilling your drink, and engines that run so clean they'll barely asphyxiate ants, a new crash test is reportedly coming in the works from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Along with the test will come new dummies and new testing equipment, all of which means it's likely to have a big impact on future car designs. The side-impact pole test will simulate side collisions with objects like trees or telephone poles, a type of accident that current side-impact tests don't accurately simulate.

According to The New York Times, the new test will use a 10-inch round pole that will collide with the car at speeds of up to 20 mph. A 75-degree angle will be used, and the point of impact will be just aft of the A-pillar. Naturally, automakers won't have to pass the test all at once, the standard will be phased in. For 2011, 20 percent of an automaker's fleet will have to meet the standard and by 2014, the pole crash standard will be at 100 percent - all new cars will have to comply.

It's a change that could potentially change the face of auto design, the same way pedestrian impact standards in Europe have led to some peculiar front sheetmetal. Materials changes may also be employed to meet the regulation, with additional high-strength steel being substituted. The more conventional metals currently used are easier to form, while stronger metals require all sorts of hot pressing and tempering to be put into shape. Manufacturing cost will go up, which means prices will probably also increase, or profit will decrease while prices hold steady. Safe cars are a laudable goal, but how safe is safe enough? Follow the jump to see a video of how Ford's 2010 Mustang GT convertible and coupe models fare, then let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

[Source: The New York Times]

Continue reading Pole Dance: NHTSA to add new side-impact crash test? [w/VIDEO]

Pole Dance: NHTSA to add new side-impact crash test? [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Judge orders Toyota not to not destroy car crash information

Chris Shunk — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota

According to Bloomberg, Toyota has been ordered by Texas Judge T. John Ward no to destroy any of its crash data, and research projects related to product liability or crashworthiness. The temporary restraining order, which is in effect until after a October 7 hearing (at which it will be determine if the order should be extended), stems from allegations from former Toyota lawyer Dimitrios Biller that the Japanese automaker withheld evidence in over 300 rollover lawsuits. Ward wrote of his decision "The court finds an immediate threat of irreparable harm in that, under the allegations, a threat exists that evidence material to this case would be destroyed or altered."

As is typical of most companies being sued for what could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, Toyota isn't commenting for the most part. Toyota spokesman Mike Michels only says that the company feels it acted appropriately in the lawsuits. While Biller's suit is big in its own right, there is a lot at stake if the former Toyota attorney wins the suit. Lawyers are already looking to reopen cases which were previously settled or rejected for lack of evidence. Dallas area lawyer Todd Tracey has asked Ward to reopen several cases which were either settled or rejected, and there are likely other lawyers and injury victims lining up to do the same.

[Source: Bloomberg]

REPORT: Judge orders Toyota not to not destroy car crash information originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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5 Stars for '09 Ford F-150

Dan Roth — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Safety, Ford

Ford's 2009 F-150 has garnered five-star government crash ratings and a "Top Safety Pick" award from the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS), which Ford says makes its newly redesigned full-sizer the safest out there. Vehicle safety is still largely a question of the loose nut behind the wheel, but the F-150 does come with a raft of safety gear. Acronyms and names abound, from RSC (Roll Stability Control), to K-bags and Safety Canopy curtain airbags, it all helps the pickup earn five stars in front- and side-impact crash testing. We'd expect no less from Ford, considering the F-Series is a perennial sales champ, and probably the most pivotal vehicle Dearborn makes. The '09 F-series has been racking up accolades and these safety ratings are yet another feather in its cap. With competitors nipping at its heels, the F-Series cannot be anything other than stellar, and for now, with the long list of huzzahs, it appears to have met the challenge. Press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

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5 Stars for '09 Ford F-150 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lutz agrees with McElroy, calls for moratorium on U.S. crash test standards

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Safety

Click above to view video of the 2008 Smart fortwo crash test

Anybody who watches Autoline on Detroit or reads our Autoline on Autoblog posts will know that John McElroy is a certifiably nice guy. Bob Lutz is known more as a brash talker who isn't afraid to make his views known, regardless of what others may think. Both of them, though, are very closely attuned to the auto industry. The head product-honcho at GM and our very own Mr. Nice Guy share the opinion that the Feds should suspend their ever-increasing crash-testing standards for a few years. If a car is safe enough for our European relatives, it should be safe enough for us, right? In reality, this is not the case, as the U.S. standards differ enough from those across the pond that a car sometimes needs to be designed specifically to pass one or the other. For this reason, the Chevy Beat won't be sold on U.S. soil.

To complete the deal, McElroy also suggests doing the same for environmental standards. As with crash tests, though both the U.S. and the European regulations are strict, they don't quite match. Therefore, many cars -- especially those equipped with diesel engines -- can't be sold in the States despite being available in Europe. Lutz doesn't specifically touch on this point, but we'd hazard a guess that he'd go along with it as well.

[Source: Wards Auto]

Lutz agrees with McElroy, calls for moratorium on U.S. crash test standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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5 stars all around: Hyundai Genesis aces NHTSA crash tests

Michael Harley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Hyundai

Hyundai's all-new Genesis sedan made yet another smashing impression as it pulled-off perfect 5-star ratings in recent U.S. government testing conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Korean luxury vehicle was sent into a fixed barrier at 35 mph with two crash dummies strapped inside. Once the dust settled, instruments revealed both front seat passengers would have had less than a 10 percent chance of injury -- results earning 5-star ratings. Front and rear seat side impact testing revealed a low probability of injury as well, also earning the car 5-star ratings. In NHTSA rollover testing, the Genesis exhibited less than a 10 percent chance of rollover, again placing it among the top performers in that category. The admirable crash test scores earned by Hyundai's first venture into the luxury segment are sure to give the competition even more sleepless nights, especially considering all that luxury and safety starts at just $33,000.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Hyundai Genesis

[Source: Hyundai, Safercar.gov]

Continue reading 5 stars all around: Hyundai Genesis aces NHTSA crash tests

5 stars all around: Hyundai Genesis aces NHTSA crash tests originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ghastly! Saab may have used human cadavers for safety research

Michael Harley — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, GM, Saab

Vägverket, the Swedish Road Administration, is reporting that General Motors used ten human cadavers for crash research. While it isn't clear which GM vehicle hosted the corpses on their one-way trip into a wall, a spokesman for Vägverket said it was most likely the Saab brand. The spokesman was also quick to point out that all of the cadavers were people "who had donated their own bodies." (Well, that is comforting to know!)

While cadavers were used in the earliest crash tests (first started in the late 1930s), most of us were under the assumption that fully-instrumented million-dollar synthetic crash test dummies, or computer simulations, had replaced human remains in current testing. Apparently, some folks at GM may have been thinking otherwise. As of today, neither General Motors or Saab have acknowledged any tests involving dead bodies, but our hunch says this issue hasn't been laid to rest. Thanks for the tip, Will!

UPDATE: Saab called to let us know that neither it nor General Motors use "postmortem human test subjects" for safety research, nor do they have the facilities to even do so. They do, however, provide funds to certain bio-mechanical research projects, often through universities, the results of which they use to make better crash test dummies.

[Source: The Local]

Ghastly! Saab may have used human cadavers for safety research originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 May 2008 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York '08 Preview: Ford featuring crash-tested Taurus

John Neff — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Safety, Ford

Click above to view high-res gallery of crash-tested Ford Taurus

Ford has been very quiet about what it will have onstage at the New York Auto Show tomorrow, but one vehicle we do know that will be under the lights is the Ford Taurus. While there will certainly be a number of Taurus models waxed, polished and placed just so in Ford's display at the Jacob Javits Center, one in particular will be a mess. Ford will display a crash-tested Taurus in New York to show off the big car's five-star rating for frontal and side crash tests from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unlike the mangled Celica that used to sit outside your highschool at prom time, the crash-tested Taurus on display in New York will be interactive. Show goers will be allowed to sit in the post-crash Taurus to see what a crash test dummy sees after a 35-mph meet up with an offset concrete barrier. Looking at the pic above, it is pretty impressive that the passenger compartment remains untouched after such an event. We're looking forward to our seat time with this one, though any trip to the Autoblog Garage might necessitate a tow truck.

Gallery: Ford Taurus Crash Test Car

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading New York '08 Preview: Ford featuring crash-tested Taurus

New York '08 Preview: Ford featuring crash-tested Taurus originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automakers, suppliers team to seek virtual crash testing

Chris Tutor — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:37:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

Nine major automakers and two automotive suppliers have formed a group to look into and develop virtual crash tests that they say will be more realistic than violently smashing cars into immovable barriers.

DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault and Toyota joined suppliers TRW and Takata last year to form the Global Human Body Models Consortium LLC. The group is expected to announce its plans today at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit.

And just what are their plans? They have recruited 40 research and university groups worldwide to develop "virtual humans" that will simulate crash test dummies which, they say, will provide better accident prediction data. The group hopes to have the project wrapped up in 2011. The companies will split the budgeted $18 million cost, but are looking to Uncle Sam and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. for a funding boost.

GM spokesman Alan Adler told the Associated Press that the data acquired from simulated tests would still be confirmed using good old crash testing.

Ford has a leg up on the group, having already developed a virtual adult male it uses to develop interiors and some safety devices. TRW also does some simulated tests on their restraint systems, pictured above.

[Source: The Associated Press via Journal and Courier Online]

Automakers, suppliers team to seek virtual crash testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forbes names least safe cars of 2007

Chris Tutor — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:41:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Safety, Chevrolet, Ford, Saturn, Suzuki, Toyota

In an obvious effort to keep its readership alive (and in turn circulation numbers up) Forbes magazine has made a list of the least safe cars of 2007. Before the flame wars start, note that cars on the list are not necessarily unsafe, but instead are not as safe as other cars available. Therefore, they are the least safe 2007 model year cars.

Most of the vehicles on the list are there because they don't have standard side air bags. But three -- Saturn's Ion, as well as Suzuki's Aerio and Forenza -- made the cut even with side air bags. To understand why these particular vehicles were named in the article, Forbes outlines its methodology, which includes crash tests, injury claims and the opinions of Consumer Reports' researchers.

The seven models named by Forbes are after the jump.

[Source: Forbes Magazine]

Continue reading Forbes names least safe cars of 2007

Forbes names least safe cars of 2007 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai Azera proves crashworthiness to IIHS - earns "Good"

John Neff — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Hyundai

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given the new 2006 Hyundai Azera a frontal offset impact rating of "Good", the organization's best rating for crashworthiness. Like many a Hyundai, the Azera's virtually a padded room on wheels with Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, ABS and eight airbags all standard.

The Azera's "Good" rating gives Hyundai a full-boat of highly rated vehicles. All current model Hyundai vehicles tested by the IIHS, which includes the Elantra, Santa Fe, Sonata and XG300/XG350, have earned a "Good" frontal offset impact rating.

[Source: Hyundai and IIHS]

Hyundai Azera proves crashworthiness to IIHS - earns "Good" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Apr 2006 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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