5 ms·
Cars are designed to buckle around the occupants in order to absorb as much of the crash energy as possible resulting in more saved lives. Older cars, the ones
by chooseaname 8y ago
Cars are designed to buckle around the occupants in order to absorb as much of the crash energy as possible resulting in more saved lives. Older cars, the ones people remember being built like tanks, were designed[0] to save the car, not the occupant.
[0] If not intentional, it's the way it ended up.
- amelius 8y agoGood point, but can't we have both? I.e., bumper deforms, but then takes back its original shape after impact is over? Or save car if speed <5mph and save occupant if speed >=5mph?
- mrguyorama 8y agoMy understanding is that a 5mph collision should not even harm the bumper. As in, that's how they are designed. Maybe some paint will trade, but nothing that requires a repair
- mikestew 8y agoThat was over thirty years ago. In 1983, standards were changed to cut the collision speed in half, resulting in the delicate little things we call "bumpers" today. (Don't know that it worthy of a downvotes just because you haven't kept up with U. S. automotive safety standards, though.)
- aidenn0 8y agoBumpers are federally required to do roughly this. However, SUV, light trucks and minivans are exempt, as are after market changes
- pvaldes 8y agoRubber bumpers would just hit people with a lot of elastic potential energy. Like being hit with a police baton but from a car in movement. Your shinbones would explode practically