Record safety points for Volvo
2012-08-30 09:19
RATHER SAFE THAN SORRY: Volvo's goal of having 'nobody die in a new Volvo' might happen. Its new V40 has received record points for its five-star rating in a Euro NCAP collision test.
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Volvo has just launched its V40 four-door hatch internationally with an event in Verona, northern Italy. Read the story!
The all-new Volvo V40 has received not only a five-star rating in Euro NCAP collision testing but also the highest points score yet.
it's a large feather on the bonnet for the Volvo considering how other top car brands failed new safety tests recently.
Thomas Broberg, a senior technical adviser at Volvo Car Corporation, said: "A fantastic result for the V40. We are very proud to have one of the world's safest cars and we're taking yet another important step toward our 2020 target - where nobody should die or be seriously injured in a new Volvo.”
SAFETY FIRST
As of 2009, European safety institute Euro NCAP has presented an overall rating for each car model it assesses. Separate tests are carried out in four sub-categories which are then ranked to produce an overall grade. The four categories are adult occupant protection, child protection, pedestrian protection and safety assistance.
It's not only the overall result that is a record; V40's protection for adults was also the best yet recorded in a test at 98%. A strong structure and systems such as neck whiplash protection form the basis for the excellent result.
"The car scored maximum points in safety assistance. "The V40 was launched as the most intelligent and safest car in its segment and it is truly packed with active safety systems such as auto brake, pedestrian detection, lane-keeping blind-spot' vehicle detection," Broberg added.
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
Pedestrian safety also played a part in the design of the car as it now has a unique pedestrian airbag. Sensors in the front of the car detect any contact with a person. An explosive charge releases the bonnet hinges and elevates the bonnet with an air bag. The cushioning effect, combined with increased distance to the hard components in the engine compartment, help to protect the pedestrian's head..
The Euro NCAP described the system as one that works well, "the bonnet offers good protection in all areas likely to be struck by a pedestrian's head, making the V40 the first car to score maximum points in this area".
