Latest news with #InsuranceInstituteforHighwaySafety
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Automakers Still Need to Crash Test Cars Despite Advances in AI
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Peering out a window at Torslanda Works, one of Volvo's largest production facilities in Sweden, reveals a side lot filled with crashed cars. The automaker still conducts physical crash tests of vehicles despite artificial intelligence making it possible to conduct repeated tests under a wide variety of factors in rapid succession. Volvo's not alone. Almost every automaker crash tests its cars, even as sustainability has come into focus and technology has advanced. And they do it at various stages of development, ahead of the model coming to market and before the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or Euro NCAP get their hands on it. "While virtual crash testing has come a long way, physical crash tests remain a crucial complement. It allows us to directly evaluate how the car's hardware performs in real-world scenarios. Even as our virtual models continue to improve, physical testing is needed to validate and refine them to ensure accuracy," Lotta Jakobsson, senior technical specialist for injury prevention at Volvo Cars, told Newsweek. At the automaker's crash testing facility in Torslanda, a Volvo spokesperson told the audience, "To evolve car safety isn't a wish. We bring that bold ambition into action, and we prove we reach there by relentless and rigorous testing in this crash lab. But as technology evolves, of course, so do we." Volvo EX90 three-vehicle crash test. Volvo EX90 three-vehicle crash test. Volvo Cars Today, Volvo utilizes data from a car's sensors in real time and computer simulations that include human body models (crash test dummies). They also reconstruct and analyze accidents that occur with their models, bringing some of them back to Volvo's labs to study in detail the effects of physics on sheet metal, electronics and high-strength steel. "When everyone else starts talking about collecting data on the road while the cars have been doing exactly that for more than 50 years, and most importantly, we have been analyzing that data and applying the knowledge and insight we gain into our product development to continue improve safety in every generation of all the cars," the spokesperson said. Volvo conducts 200-250 crash tests annually. A new model on a new platform, the spokesperson said, is crashed around 130-140 times alone. That's physically. Virtually, Volvo conducts more than 80,0000 crashes annually on around 80 different vehicles. "We run multiple tests on the same car. You have to consider all different speeds, different sizes of occupants, and so forth. So it's quite a wide matrix," he said. In May, Volvo initiated the first public three-car crash test in front of an assembled crowd at the company's Stars Safety Center facility in Torslanda. The three Volvo EX90 electric SUVs performed "within tolerances," a spokesperson said. While one vehicle was parked horizontally, another hit its driver's side cabin at speed. In quick succession, another EX90 was propelled toward the parked SUV, and utilizing its accident avoidance technology, it was able to come to a last-second stop, barely kissing the bumper of the vehicle ahead. Last year, Mercedes-Benz celebrated the world's first frontal offset crash between two electric vehicles. The parameters of the crash were different than the crash Volvo conducted. It demonstrated the effects of an EQA and an EQS SUV colliding head-on with a 50 percent overlap while each traveled at 56 kilometers per hour. "Crash test simulations are an integral part of our vehicle development. We conduct around 15,000 simulations per model series and 150 real crash tests before the development is completed," Prof. Dr. Paul Dick, director of vehicle safety at Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans, told Newsweek. "Even though our simulations and calculations are excellent and can predict the outcome of a crash test quite precisely, we still have to validate the results in hardware. This is not only due to legal requirements, but also enables us to ensure that complex protection systems, such as the deactivation of high-voltage components, the protection of the passenger cell and the battery housing, also provide protection in extreme situations. In doing so, we go beyond legal requirements and those of the rating agencies... Our goal is clear when we develop a new vehicle: We always aim to build the safest vehicle in its class – that is our Mercedes-Benz Engineering Excellence." Two electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles are crash tested. Two electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles are crash tested. Mercedes-Benz Nissan's Safety Advancement Lab is part of a $40 million facility that was built in 2021 to expand the company's research and development operations in North America. Each year, the lab's engineers put around 400 vehicles through physical crash tests. "Most crash test modes are able to be conducted in a digital environment using computer-aided engineering (CAE). CAE is conducted to help develop and refine the design of systems and components before a vehicle model is physically built. Once prototype or pre-production vehicles are built then physical crash testing is conducted. There is an overall high level of correlation between the digital CAE models and physical tests but there are certain limitations to CAE that make the physical testing valuable and key to an overall assessment," Mike Bristol, Nissan's director of engineering safety, design and performance, told Newsweek. Three Nissan SUVs, Murano, Pathfinder and Armada, earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety this year. That is IIHS's highest mark. Those models protect drivers and passengers in the real world with Nissan's Safety Shield 360 suite of six safety-centric advanced driver-assistance features. Those features require validation long before they reach customers. Crash test dummies at Nissan's Safety Advancement Lab in North America. Crash test dummies at Nissan's Safety Advancement Lab in North America. Nissan "Individual components and systems are designed and tested to meet individual criteria but ultimately they have to work together as a whole vehicle level assembly to perform in full vehicle crash tests. These crash tests give us the final validation to confirm our vehicles are providing protection for our customers when they need it most," Bristol said.
The Star
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Drivers are finding it harder to see out of newer cars, survey finds
The forward blind zones of six top-selling passenger vehicles in the US grew over the past 25 years as pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities soared, researchers say. — Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa If you have the feeling it's become harder to get a clear view of the road from the driver's seat of a car these days, you are probably right. At least that's the conclusion of a new US survey. Researchers from the US non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said that tech-powered features such as blind-spot monitoring seem to encourage designers to further shrink the amount of glass on a vehicle. They also pay less attention to the problem of higher bonnets and tailgates, which can obstruct the driver's outward view. The forward blind zones of six top-selling passenger vehicles grew over the past 25 years as pedestrian and cyclist fatalities soared, said the IIHS. "The across-the-board decrease in visibility for this small group of models is concerning. We need to investigate whether this is a broader trend that may have contributed to the recent spike in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities," said IIHS President David Harkey. Vulnerable road user deaths in the US have increased to their highest level in more than 40 years, the IIHS says. "At the same time, increasing vehicle size and taller front ends may contribute to larger forward blind zones, but little is known about the role that visual occlusion may play in this trend." To quantify the blind zones, researchers from the Department of Transport (DOT) used the IIHS method to calculate the occluded and visible areas at ground level in a forward 180-degree arc around the driver at ranges of 10 metres and 20 metres. In the 10-metre forward radius nearest the vehicle, outward visibility declined in all six vehicle models measured over time. The SUV models showed up to a 58% reduction in visibility within a 10-metre radius. Other vehicles exhibited smaller (7-19%) reductions. At longer distances (10 to 20 metres), vehicles demonstrated both increases and decreases in visibility. The results show that, for the selected vehicles (Chevrolet Suburban, Ford F-150, Honda Accord and CR-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota Camry), the outward visibility has decreased. The study noted that the biggest difference in visibility from the cockpit was observed with the Honda CR-V. In a 1997 model, the researchers measured 68% visibility, while the 2022 edition came in at just 28%. — dpa
Jordan News
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Jordan News
Kia Secures Prestigious Honours in 2025 IIHS Safety Awards - Jordan News
· Kia earns three 2025 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards, including for the 2025 Kia K4, EV9, and Telluride under the institute's most rigorous criteria to date. اضافة اعلان · Kia demonstrates its innovation in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and structural engineering by earning recognition for rear occupant safety and nighttime crash prevention. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 8, 2025: Kia Corporation has once again raised the bar for automotive safety, earning recognition from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in its rigorous 2025 crash test evaluations. Reaffirming its commitment to occupant protection and advanced vehicle engineering, three Kia models have received the prestigious 2025TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) designation, the highest possible safety rating awarded by the IIHS. The recognised models include the 2025 Kia K4 (built after January 2025), as well as the acclaimed 2025 Kia EV9 and 2025 Kia Telluride , all of which are specific to the U.S. market. Yaser Shabsogh, Vice President of Commercial Operations at Kia Middle East & Africa, commented: 'At Kia, safety is a foundational pillar of our brand. Being recognised by the IIHS with three TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards under their most rigorous criteria to date is a strong validation of the work we're doing. We're continuously raising our safety standards by integrating advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), reinforcing structural integrity, and subjecting our vehicles to stringent internal and external testing protocols. Whether it's through enhanced protection for rear occupants or technologies that help prevent nighttime collisions, we remain focused on delivering real-world safety benefits to our customers. 'This recognition reinforces our role as a leading Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider in automotive safety and reflects our commitment to protecting every passenger, in every journey.' Kia continues to prioritise safety in its overall strategy through integrating advanced technology and stringent testing protocols, elevating safety benchmarks across its lineup. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organisation dedicated to reducing deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes through research and evaluation and through education of consumers, policymakers and safety professionals. Its TSP and TSP+ ratings are widely cited in the North American auto industry by consumers, media and analysts alike. For more award information, visit .
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
California's Driving Law Is Getting a Lot More Strict
Let's be honest, you've probably done something like this before. You are out on a drive to work, going back home, to the grocery store, or wherever, and you hear the notification sound from your phone, which immediately gets your attention. Lo and behold, you're glancing at texts, scrolling through Outlook, or fumbling across tabs on a social media app when you're supposed to have your eyes on the road. Despite in-car software like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto becoming a must-have item in everything from Kias to Rolls-Royces, smartphone-based distracted driving is still a problem out on the road. According to a 2023 survey of US drivers conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), over a fifth of drivers said that they engaged in at least one smartphone-based distracting activity while driving, including "making video calls, watching videos or using social media, on most or all of their trips." Although you may think there may be some situations where it is perfectly okay to hold your phone while driving, like looking at directions on a navigation application, a recent state appeals court decision in California will have you wrong. On June 3, the Court of Appeal of the State of California for the sixth appellate district ruled that a state law prohibiting the use of handheld cellphones while driving also applies when drivers are found to be holding phones running a navigation app like Apple Maps or Google Maps. The court ruled that while the driver doesn't need to be swiping or tapping on the screen, looking at the map with your phone in your hand is enough for a police officer to pull you over for a ticket. The Court of Appeals in the Golden State reached this decision in the case of a defendant named Nathaniel Gabriel Porter, who received a $158 ticket in Santa Clara County for holding his cellphone in one hand and looking at a mapping application while driving. Porter initially lost his ticket challenge in his first court appearance, but appealed the decision with the appellate division of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, which reversed the fine because it was determined then that he was technically not "operating" a wireless telephone as stated in the state law. Court documents state that at the time, it was determined that Porter was holding and looking at the mapping application on the phone without "active manipulation." "The court concluded 'there must be something equated to carrying out a function, actively using or manipulating the phone while holding and driving," court documents read. "This may include talking, listening, emailing, browsing the internet, playing video games, or otherwise engaging with the smartphone. Merely observing GPS directions on the phone does not constitute the kind of active use or manipulation to trigger an infraction under the statute." However, the California Court of Appeal for the Sixth Appellate District reversed that decision on June 3, concluding that the definition of the word "operating" under the above law "prohibits all use of a handheld phone's functions while driving, including looking at an application on the phone" and that "allowing a driver to hold a phone and view a mapping application, even if not touching the phone's screen, would be contrary to the Legislature's intent in enacting [the law]," the court's decision read. Porter is still on the hook for the initial $158 traffic ticket, but this story shows that the state of California is clear in its vision to reduce distracted driving. The data about distracted driving is pretty straightforward. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 3,000 people in the U.S. were killed in 2022 due to distracted driving, with phone use being one of the leading culprits. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Ford Bronco, Bronco Sport missed top safety ratings for this reason
Ford Bronco, Bronco Sport missed top safety ratings for this reason Show Caption Hide Caption Ford Motor Company: Understanding the automaker's history, legacy Explore the rich history of Ford Motor Company, from its groundbreaking assembly line innovations to iconic cars like the Model T, Mustang, and F-150. The Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport received less than marginal ratings in recent IIHS safety tests. The Bronco Sport showed heightened risk for head and neck injuries in the rear seat. Six other vehicles earned the Top Safety Pick+ award, including models from Hyundai, Kia, Toyota and Nissan. The Ford Bronco and Ford Bronco Sport SUVs failed to meet the marginal ratings to qualify for a top safety pick in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's latest safety ratings, with the institute noting there is a heightened risk for head and neck injuries in the rear seat of the Bronco Sport. On June 10, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a nonprofit group owned by auto insurers with the purpose of reducing injuries from car crashes — said it tested nine vehicles and awarded six models from four different brands a 2025 Top Safety Pick+ award. Three of the vehicles tested — the Volkswagen Taos, Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport — did not earn a top safety ranking, rather came as "adequate," due to subpar performance in one or more of the required tests, the institute said in its findings. The crash tests showed both Broncos put rear seat passengers at an elevated risk of chest injuries. The Taos got inadequate results in the front crash test and for its headlights and pedestrian crash avoidance system. A spokesperson from Volkswagen did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment on the results. Special Edition Broncos: Ford ignites off-road adventure with two new Bronco project vehicles Ford Motor Co. spokesman Mike Levine emailed the following statement to the Detroit Free Press: "The 2025 Bronco and Bronco Sport meet or exceed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) regulatory requirements. Both Bronco and Bronco Sport have earned overall 5-star NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) ratings, and Bronco is currently the only vehicle in its segment to achieve a five-star overall vehicle score in NHTSA's testing." The Top Safety Pick+ winners The insurance institute said to qualify for either Top Safety Pick+ or the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award this year, vehicles need good ratings in the small overlap front crash test. That test simulates a crash where a small portion of the front of the vehicle impacts another vehicle or barrier. Also, vehicles must get a good rating in updated side tests, an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation and acceptable or good-rated headlights across all trim levels. The institute said getting an acceptable rating in its updated moderate overlap front test is enough to qualify for Top Safety Pick, but a good rating is required to earn Top Safety Pick+. The moderate overlap test simulates a head-on collision where the vehicle's front overlaps 40% of a stationary vehicle's width at 40 mph. Its purpose is to measure rear-seat occupant protection. The 2025 models that did receive the Top Safety Pick+ ranking were: Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4 and Toyota Prius, all small cars; the Hyundai Sonata midsize car, the Toyota bZ4X electric small SUV, and the Nissan Murano midsize SUV. The institute said for some vehicles the Top Safety Pick+ award applies only to models built after the date when the manufacturer made improvements to rear occupant protection. For example, the award applies to Elantras built after October 2024, Sonatas built after November 2024 and K4s built after January 2025. The bZ4X award is for vehicles built after December 2024, when the headlights on its XLE trim were changed to the current good-rated ones. Ford and VW fall short of meeting crash metrics The insurance institute report said new ratings also are available for the Ford Bronco, Ford Bronco Sport and Volkswagen Taos, but "these models did not earn awards due to inadequate performance in one or more of the required tests." "The Bronco was disqualified from contention because of marginal ratings for its headlights, pedestrian front crash prevention system and moderate overlap crash performance," the institute wrote. "In the moderate overlap test, measurements taken from the rear dummy indicated an elevated risk of chest injuries, though the Bronco performed well by most other metrics." Ford's Bronco Sport also failed the same evaluation, but for different reasons. The institute said during the test, "the rear dummy's lap belt slid up onto the abdomen from the ideal position on the pelvis, which increases the chances of internal injuries. Measurements taken from the rear dummy also indicated an elevated risk of injuries to the chest and head or neck." The Bronco Sport earned the group's "acceptable rating" in the updated side test, primarily because of high injury metrics for the driver's pelvis. The institute said the 2025 Volkswagen Taos earned "only" an acceptable rating in the small overlap front test because the safety cage, which is designed to protect occupants, did not hold up well. It also fell short in the updated moderate overlap front test and earned subpar ratings for its headlights and pedestrian crash avoidance system. "Although Volkswagen added pretensioners and load limiters to the rear seat belts in the Taos in January 2025, chest injury metrics for the rear passenger remained high in the moderate overlap test," the report stated. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
