|
|
Subaru smashes safety barriers |
|
|
|
23/10/2008
Subaru has underlined its outstanding safety credentials with confirmation that its entire Australian range is now equipped with standard stability control and shares independent five star crashworthiness ratings.
70 per cent of the Subaru All-Wheel Drive range has been stability-equipped for the past 12 months.
But the addition of the Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) stability safety system to manual variants of the Model Year 2009 Outback, Liberty 2.5i, 2.5i Heritage and both GT spec.B manual and automatic, provides 100 per cent coverage.
Combined with independent five-star crashworthiness ratings for occupant safety from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), this places Subaru at the forefront of automotive safety in Australia.
ANCAP’s testing has been conducted purely on Australian specification Subarus, to local standards.
Subaru Managing Director, Nick Senior, said: “Safety has long been a key aspect of Subaru’s reputation. With the release of our MY09 Liberty and Outback models, our entire range is now VDC equipped and five-star rated, which is clear proof of our safety commitment.
“The engineers at Fuji Heavy Industries have worked closely with our own Subaru Australia engineering team to place us well ahead of any mandatory Federal legislation regarding stability control.
“This demonstrates Subaru’s commitment to occupant safety and a proactive approach to safety generally.”
ANCAP is backed by the nation’s motoring organizations and statutory transport bodies.
Its ratings are recognized by equivalent organizations in the U.S.A., Europe, Japan and Korea, where crash testing is also performed and results shared with Australia.
Vehicles undergo three types of crash testing:
· A side impact at 50 kilometres per hour
· An offset crash test into a barrier at 64 km/h
· An optional side crash into a pole at 29 km/h
Subaru’s safety timeline:
2000: VDC introduced on Liberty Heritage wagon and Outback H6.
2003: Subaru’s five-star ANCAP success began when it was announced that the Forester XS Luxury Pack had achieved the best-ever occupant safety crashworthiness test rating for a compact four-wheel drive – five stars. The rating was unprecedented in the history of ANCAP. It meant the Australian Forester variant was officially ranked as the safest in its class. It was also the first time any Japanese-built car achieved a five-star ANCAP rating.
March 2004: ANCAP announced that every Liberty and Outback model ranked five stars for occupant safety in crashworthiness testing.
September 2005: ANCAP announced that the five-star result had been extended to every Forester variant, after Subaru made side airbags, in addition to existing dual front airbags, standard across the range.
October 2006: Tribeca achieved a five-star crashworthiness rating for occupant safety from launch.
August 2007: New generation Impreza’s five-star ANCAP crashworthiness rating for occupant safety elevated Subaru to the only brand with five-star ratings for local specification cars across its entire range, plus a top four-star pedestrian rating for Impreza.
February 2008: Every new generation Forester received a five-star ANCAP rating, building on the high standard set by its predecessor.
October 2008: Already five-star ANCAP rated, the entire Subaru range becomes VDC-equipped.
Backgrounder:
Subaru active safety
Active safety systems shared by all Subarus include:
Constant All-Wheel Drive - providing constant drive to all four wheels, aiding balance and control.
Anti lock brakes (ABS) - Subaru uses an ultra-reliable four-sensor/four-channel/three phase ABS. This means when brakes are applied on a slippery road, each of the four sensors – one per wheel – monitor wheel speed and transmit the information to a computer. It then calculates which wheel is starting to lock and controls the braking force. This provides extremely stable braking. Benefits include the ability to steer around traffic hazards when braking, without fear of “locking up” and losing control. The system has been tuned specially for Australian roads, reducing stopping distances on gravel surfaces. The brakes also have what is known as a cross-linked dual channel system. Therefore, if one channel fails, braking is retained on at least one front and one rear wheel – one left and one right, aiding balance. Subaru also puts its brake piping inside the floor panels – reducing the risk of damage or corrosion.
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) - improves rear wheel braking in response to load shifting caused by deceleration.
Vehicle Dynamics Control - The electronic control unit (ECU) uses information from sensors tracking wheel speed, steering position, front/back and lateral (sideways) G force, and yaw rate to monitor forces that could destabilize vehicle running. In extreme situations, such as when swerving, sideslipping or entering a spin, VDC activates to control each wheel individually, via braking, engine output, and the All-Wheel Drive system. This improves stability by using the car’s most stable wheels. In cases of extreme oversteer, VDC activates, applying brakes to the front and rear outside turning wheels, producing yaw – a force that opposes the oversteering tendency. With understeer, VDC applies brakes to the inside rear wheels to counteract the effect. Both the VDC and ABS Anti-Lock Braking systems are controlled from the one digital ECU. VDC is designed for a “driver’s vehicle.” In normal conditions it is purely a monitoring system, and applies no control. But near the car’s performance limits it gives the driver more control – resulting in safer and more comfortable driving.
Subaru passive safety
Passive safety features shared by the entire Subaru range include:
Ring-shaped reinforcements – a grid of reinforced metal that surrounds the passenger cabin, forming a high strength safety cell. It results in greater body rigidity and minimum distortion on impact.
Dual front, side and curtain SRS airbags – They operate in conjunction with the front seatbelts to ensure maximum occupant protection. During a frontal collision, sensors measure the severity and angle of impact. The SRS computer determines if airbag inflation is necessary, then triggers if applicable. This occurs in about 30 milliseconds to cushion and absorb the forward momentum of occupants, preventing the head from striking the dash or steering wheel.
Front seatbelt pretensioners - used to quickly tighten the belt on impact and remove any slack between the belt and body. This combines with a variable load limiter to improve protection in the event of an offset crash. This works by simultaneously tightening both the lap and sash of the belt when the front airbags deploy, reducing the “submarining” effect of the occupant in a collision.
Automatic Emergency Locking Retractors (A/ELR) - All rear seatbelts feature A/ELR. When fully extended, the belts ratchet back into position for more positive securing of child safety seats. The ratchet is cancelled when the seatbelt is fully retracted. Centre rear seatbelts are all lap/sash, for added back seat safety.
Engine impact limitation - In a heavy frontal collision, Subaru’s flat horizontally opposed boxer engines are designed to go under the passenger cabin, rather than into it.
Steering wheel impact minimization - in a collision, a support beam inhibits the rearward movement of the steering wheel. The steering column is designed to collapse on impact, again to minimize transmission of shock energy to the driver.
Reinforced door beams and strengthened side frames - provide extra protection in a side collision. A secondary benefit of the high strength body is that it also provides a solid base frame for suspension, ensuring body flex does not affect vehicle stability.
Safety pedals - Safety pedals reduce injury to the driver’s lower legs in a heavy frontal collision. They are design to retract and move down. |
Industry News
|
Toyota first to export 100,000 cars |
19/12/2008
Toyota Australia is set to become the first Australian carmaker to export 100,000 vehicles in a calendar year.
The milestone car is due to be shipped from Melbourne on Christmas Eve, bound for the Middle East.
It will be among more than 2,100 Australian-built Toyota cars leaving Australia that day aboard the Positive Leader. |
|
Read more...
|
|
