Crash Testing of Vehicles

Crash Testing of Vehicles

ABSTRACT

The road from the first “horseless carriage” days has been a long and winding one for the automobile sector. As highways expanded, the number of automobiles appeared to have increased disproportionately. Further, advancement in Motoring Technology gave rise to bigger and faster vehicles. This naturally led to a significant spurt in human mortality as a result of road accidents, and the need to make safe driving a reality became an absolute imperative.

Statistics reveal that the majority of accidents involving vehicles are caused mainly due to factors other than merely machine failures. However, as regards fatalities, a definite co-relation is established with design and structural defects in the vehicles involved. This fact has become the main driver behind the present day awareness on the part of Governments- in attempting to make roads safer; on the part of vehicle manufacturers - to produce a safer vehicle and on the part of users - in their choice of a vehicle.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has formulated certain motor vehicle rules called “Central Motor Vehicle Rules” (CMVR) so as to ensure the road worthiness of vehicles that hit Indian roads. These rules are aligned with the more evolved European Regulations and cover the entire aspect of making safe vehicles.

This paper seeks to highlight the problem areas prevalent in automobiles with specific emphasis on impact protection as this is found to be a major factor in reducing human fatality.

It also gives a brief description of an Indian vehicle which has been targeted by the manufacturers to meet the requirements of all concerned.

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