Thank Your Lucky Crash Test Dummies! Your New Vehicle Passed The Safety Check

Automotive Blog

How is it that any vehicle can be placed on the market for sale and receive a safety rating if the vehicles have never been driven? Well, you should know that every make and model undergoes rigorous vehicle testing and vehicle safety checks. Here is what that looks like.

Step One: Check for Electrical and Computer Defects

Almost every new car on the market has an onboard computer. This makes it easier for a technician to perform auto diagnostics every time you bring your vehicle in for repairs. It is the same computer and system that gives you dash alerts to a problem with your car. 

Additionally, during this diagnostic testing, a car similar to your own make and model is checked for electrical issues. If even one car in a single batch has an electrical issue or malfunction, other cars from the same batch have to be tested before a recall is dispatched. However, the whole point of doing diagnostic tests on the electrical and computer systems is to catch those issues before a batch of vehicles are shipped out and disbursed to various dealerships.

Step Two: Put the Crash Test Dummies in the Driver's Seat

The next step in assessing a make and model's safety is to put crash test dummies in the vehicle and remotely control a crash scene. The dummies are meant to represent consumers who will buy this vehicle. As long as the vehicle holds together from the initial crash, and the crash test dummies are unharmed, the crash sequence is repeated at higher speeds until the final speed.

If the vehicle withstands that much accident damage and it is determined that the "passengers" could walk away from the scene, the car has successfully passed the safety check. It is given a safety rating. The test vehicle itself is recycled, but others made at the same time are stamped with the manufacturer's seal of approval and safety guarantee/warranty.

The Rock and/or Roll Tests

Certain vehicles go through additional testing. These tests are used on large passenger vehicles, and on vehicles which may be likely to roll when sliding into ditches or off the edges of roads. Force is exerted to rock the vehicle to see if it will tip. Then roll tests are performed to see if the vehicle's metal exterior will protect consumers from harm. If the results are unacceptable, the vehicle make and model about to be manufactured is canceled so that no unsafe vehicles leave the factory. 

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25 March 2018

Discussing Care Techniques For Automotive Paint and Trim

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