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Airbags and the IIHS
Posted by David Prantl (more from David Prantl) on Wed, 19 Apr 2000 16:09:12
In Reply to: , Kok Chen, Sat, 17 Dec 1988 12:00:00 

Sorry all for my anti-front-airbag sentiments...

Also, it's good to see how incomplete is the safety testing done by the 
company that has always CLAIMED to build the safest cars - Volvo.

As always, IIHS kindness to Volvo is impre$$ive.  At no point do they 
mention that front airbag deployment at 5mph is not merely expensive, but in 
fact makes the vehicle significantly LESS SAFE.  IMHO of course.

The SAAB 9-5 - in some ways the SAFEST car the Euro NCAP has EVER tested - 
gets a 'marginal' rating from IIHS for low speed collision performance.  It 
is true that the A6 did better to earn an 'acceptable' rating - by a totally 
insignificant $18 average damage per test.  Bad press for SAAB even when it 
is not nearly deserved, or simply no credit where it is due...

SAAB is making a profit again these days, so how about an IIHS kickback here 
and there ?  It could certainly help them out with marketing.

Overall, it just makes me sick.

Best regards,

David Prantl
david_prantlno39sdcx6spamx782hotmail.com
'84 900S, 5M, 210kMi, RIP
'86 9000T, 5M, 178kMi
'88 9000S, 5M, 137kMi
'90 9000S, 4A, 133kMi
'89 900, 3A, 115kMi
'68 97 Sonett V4, 76kMi, #000467
http://www.highwaysafety.org/news_releases/2000/pr032900.htm


Volvo S80 performance: In the 5 mph flat-barrier test of the Volvo S80 'we 
saw something this year we've never seen before,' O'Neill points out. 'There 
was about $500 damage to the front end of the vehicle, most of it hidden 
under the bumper cover. In addition -- and this is what was so surprising -- 
both airbags deployed, resulting in another $4,500 in repair bills.

The Institute and Volvo are working together

(...I have no doubt they are working together...)

to try to understand the significance of the airbag deployment in this 
impact. Obviously, airbags shouldn't deploy in low-speed crashes.'

Volvo's investigation leads the company to conclude this particular 
deployment was a rare quirk, and the company believes the test result won't 
translate into frequent airbag deployments in low-speed crashes on the road. 
The Institute is studying real-world crash deployments in S80 models, and

'if low-speed deployments are rare,' O'Neill says, 'then we would agree with 
Volvo.

(...I sure as hell wouldn't...)

But if we find many low-speed deployments, then Volvo should redesign the 
airbag sensors for the S80.'
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