Automakers have completed a voluntary agreement whereby all new cars and light trucks are now designed to be more compatible in front- and side-impact crashes.
Since launching the agreement in 2003, manufacturers have been increasing the percentage of vehicles with the “compatibility engineering,” by matching the front structural components of different vehicles so that they align.
This simple design change enhances the vehicle’s ability to manage and absorb crash energy. The agreement covers BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) field studies support the substantial real-world benefits of the re-designed vehicles. The fatality rate of belted car drivers in frontal crashes with 2000-03 model light trucks during 2000-04 was 19% lower when the light trucks already met the criteria than when they did not. The research also found a 19% reduction in car driver fatality rates when the cars were struck in the side by light trucks meeting the criteria.
To improve head protection in cars struck in the side, the automakers have also installed head-protecting enhancements such as side airbags. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) research indicates that side airbags with head protection are reducing driver fatality risk by about 37% percent in crashes involving the driver’s side of the vehicle.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), which together represent virtually 100% of U.S. vehicle sales, entered into the agreement with input from the IIHS. The three parties have reported the agreement’s success to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“The automakers researched this issue, identified ways to reduce the risk, and agreed to appropriate measures – and they did this all faster than the government could have through regulations,” said Adrian Lund, president of IIHS. “This doesn’t mean colliding passenger vehicles now are compatible in every crash, but it does mean car occupants are less likely to be injured or killed in crashes with SUVs and pickup trucks.”
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a trade association of 11 car and light truck manufacturers including BMW, Chrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen.
The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. (AIAM) is a trade association representing 13 international motor vehicle manufacturers, including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota. AIAM member companies account for 40% of all passenger cars and light trucks sold annually in the United States and 36% of U.S. light vehicle production.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization funded by auto insurers with the mission of reducing the losses – deaths, injuries, and property damage – from crashes on the nation’s highways.