No surprise: "Mini" cars fail new frontal crash testing

[Kaido]

Solution: External air bags

Nope:

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/01/volvo-pedestrian-airbag-canceled/

 

[Kaido]

This is not an adequate excuse for gas guzzlers to still exist.

What's wrong with gas guzzlers? If they went away, the Middle East would be broke and our climate scientists would be bored to death I'd like to see a lot more hybridization on large vehicles. I'm really intrigued by the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid - starts at $35k, gets 25/28 MPG, and has 7 seats. Shoot, my little Kia Soul mini-wagon gets about the same mileage!

http://www.nissanusa.com/electric-hybrid/pathfinder/

 

[iamwiz82]

This is not an adequate excuse for gas guzzlers to still exist.

I find it amusing that you think it's wrong to have a gas guzzler yet your signature has examples of the epitome of splurge. All that electricity is being generated by unicorn farts, I assume?

 

[deathBOB]

even that is still better than nothing. the energy was transferred to the occupants, instead of being absorbed by deformable structures and redirected around a survival cell. this is a very tough test.

you're arguing for a more or less completely rigid structure. such a thing would transfer maximum energy to the occupants. a rigid survival cell is necessary, but it's hopeless without the absorption and redirection technologies. even the big styrofoam blocks found in most (every?) cars for ages have a part to play.

You don't want deformation of the passenger space. That's okay because airbags absorb the energy of the passengers. These cars failed because neither of those thing happened.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

. All that electricity is being generated by unicorn farts, I assume?

You know how some farts are so powerful you can taste them...D:.. I've always wondered if unicorn farts would taste like skittles....:hmm:...

 

[monkeydelmagico]

What's wrong with gas guzzlers? If they went away, the Middle East would be broke and our climate scientists would be bored to death

Worse we would be plunged into the next ice age in which all the climate scientists would perish. Only folks with big tired Suburbans and Expeditions would survive. Take that stupid tiny clown cars

 

[Kaido]

Worse we would be plunged into the next ice age in which all the climate scientists would perish. Only folks with big tired Suburbans and Expeditions would survive. Take that stupid tiny clown cars

You know, in most zombie & end-of-the-world movies, it's usually only the people with big SUV's or trucks that make it out alive over the wreckage...

 

[ElFenix]

What's wrong with gas guzzlers? If they went away, the Middle East would be broke and our climate scientists would be bored to death I'd like to see a lot more hybridization on large vehicles. I'm really intrigued by the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid - starts at $35k, gets 25/28 MPG, and has 7 seats. Shoot, my little Kia Soul mini-wagon gets about the same mileage!

http://www.nissanusa.com/electric-hybrid/pathfinder/

suprised the sienna doesn't come in a hybrid version. figured toyota would be leading in the crossminiovervan segment

 

[SparkyJJO]

This is not an adequate excuse for gas guzzlers to still exist.

:| Who said this was an "excuse," as if there was a need for one?

 

[XavierMace]

rigid survival cell is necessary

Yes but by the sound of it these cars survival cell isn't all that rigid. That's all I'm saying. Crumple to the firewall, great. Crumple to my chest, not so great.

 

[mizzou]

"Small offset" is a very dangerous collision area. Not just with other cars, but trees and other fixed objects as well.

Add not wearing a seatbelt, your head slams into the A pillar and either scalps you, or splits your skull in half.

 

[_Rick_]

For once target fixation is a good thing!