A revolutionary new design for a truck front has been developed by researchers at Chalmers University in Sweden, aiming to reduce the severity of deadly collisions between cars and trucks. The innovation comes as European Union regulations have been revised to loosen restrictions on the length of trucks. This has opened the door for potentially life saving design changes. The new design has shown promising results in crash tests carried out by Sweden’s Traffic Administration. The results indicate that improved truck fronts could significantly reduce the deformations of passenger car compartments by up to 30-60%. This would significantly reduce the risk of injuries or fatalities for car occupants.
HGV collisions are inherently more hazardous to passenger cars. Between 14 and 16% of car occupant fatalities both in the EU and in the US are caused by heavy goods vehicles, and the car occupants are the victims of 90% of such incidents. The geometry, stiffness and sheer mass of large trucks dramatically increase the severity of a car-to-truck collision, even at slow speed. Our current safety standards assume that a modern passenger car with the best safety ratings can withstand a collision with a truck at 80 kph without fatalities. However, this is not the case when a vehicle collides with a truck. The problem lies in the mismatch between the size and the structural rigidity of the truck and the car. Even at slow speed collisions, the effects can be devastating for those in the passenger vehicle.
Chalmers University’s team focused on protecting the cabin of the passenger car in the event of a head on collision. This is not possible with traditional truck designs, so the aim of the research was to change the way trucks and cars interacted during a crash. The new truck design places safety at the top of the agenda. It includes features such as an aluminum honeycomb honeycomb structure that redistributes and reduces impact forces. With revised EU regulations loosening previous truck length limitations, designers are now able to apply these safety features more freely. Researchers are also looking for ways to optimise the front of the truck, aiming to divert cars away from its forward path and improve safety measures.
Related Stories:
- https:// knowridge.com/2024/03/this-revolutionary-truck-design-could-save-car-passengers/
- https:// www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1037373
- https:// techxplore.com/news/2024-03-truck-front.html
- https:// www.techtimes.com/articles/302576/20240314/swedish-researchers-unveil-new-truck-front-design-to-slash-car-collision-risks.htm
- https:// www.businesslive.co.za/bd/life/motoring/2024-03-14-swedes-crash-test-safer-front-end-designs/
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