| Author (Person) | Chapman, Peter |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.10, No.25, 8.7.04 |
| Publication Date | 08/07/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 08/07/04 THE good news is that, thanks to huge investment from the car industry, drivers and their passengers are more likely than ever to survive a car crash. The bad news is that manufacturers do not care nearly as much about who might get hit by their cars as they do about the car's occupants. That is the verdict of Adrian Hobbs, a UK safety expert who heads the European New Car Assessment Programme. EuroNCAP is the international crash testing body that hands out star ratings to all new cars according to how safe - or unsafe - they are. The latest batch of crash tests published by the group appears to prove his point. Of the twelve cars tested, just one, the Fiat Doblo, scored lower than four out of five stars for occupant protection. "But when it comes to pedestrian safety," says Hobbs, "it was pretty dismal. Apart from the VW Golf and Honda Jazz, it was a pathetic performance." Hobbs pins some of the blame on car buyers. When it comes to parting with their hard-earned cash, customers are far less demanding about safety outside their cars than about their own safety. "EuroNCAP only works if manufacturers take the bait. If the public says it wants pedestrian protection, they will go for it." Hobbs accuses the car industry of trying to stall developments on pedestrian safety, such as the development of safer, softer, bumpers, panels and doors - for aesthetic reasons. Manufacturers, he alleges, fear stricter rules that would oblige them to perform better in the pedestrian tests might adversely affect the way they design their models. "I suspect they think it is going to affect their ability to offer whatever styling they want to offer you next year - and they don't know what it's going to be. " For Hobbs, a case in point was a complicated deal between the EU and carmakers on pedestrian safety rules, finalized last year. The carmakers persuaded the Commission to agree to a long phase-in period for tougher pedestrian testing rules set by the European Enhanced Safety Vehicle Committee (EEVC). The EEVC is a group of industry and government experts supported by the European Commission. Its tests already form the basis for the new model comparisons carried out by EuroNCAP. But the Commission and MEPs accepted claims that it would be difficult for car companies to make sure their full model line-ups meet the EEVC tests - or an equivalent industry approved testing system - by 2015. In the meantime, manufacturers have the option of meeting a combination of weaker tests, although they have promised to start applying the EEVC tests on new types of vehicle by 2010. But Hobbs, who developed a pedestrian-friendly Austin Metro 19 years ago, claims the need for substantial delays is nonsense in the hi-tech 21st century car industry. "There is no reason why it cannot be done now," he insists. Does that mean Erkki Liikanen, the outgoing commissioner for enterprise policy, and MEPs such as rapporteur Malcolm Harbour, have blood on their hands? "It's not for me to say that," he insists. "The pedestrian campaign is a weaker lobby group. "Yet we are all pedestrians. And we are all horrified when children are hit." The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) insists carmakers are working hard to improve safety for more vulnerable road users. Director of communications Alfredo Filippone said: "We have not yet seen the results. These tests are done on individual car models. "However, what we can say is as an industry we are doing a lot to improve cars from a pedestrian impact perspective. It is a big challenge for the industry from a technical point of view. It means, basically, redesigning all the front ends. We have to find a balance between stiffness and softness of the elements like bumpers and bonnets. You need a minimum amount of stiffness if you want a bonnet, for example, to hold together when you open it. At the same time all the measures to improve pedestrian safety require softness. "That is the challenge from a technical point of view. These things are being put in place at the moment." Protection for foot travellers Family cars
Small family cars
Supermini
Small MPV
Roadsters
Four-star rating system. Cars may be safer for occupants but pedestrian safety is still the poor man of the industry. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Mobility and Transport |
