Being a renown world-leader in automotive safety means staying on the forefront of the latest technologies and research relating to occupant protection. Scandinavian automaker Volvo puts huge importance on crash-testing to accurately reproduce real-life results, and they proudly claim to have the most advanced crash safety centre in the industry.
There's a specialized test-track which features a moveable 850-ton crash barrier. It's angle can be quickly adjusted up to 90 degrees by a single operator, making it one of the most comprehensive and efficient facilities for destroying vehicles in the name of safety.
Of course, there's more to it then simply driving test-cars at high rates of speed into one another. Dozens of cameras filming at 3,000 frames per second capture images from every angle, while high-intensity lighting makes sure engineers are able to see test results even from the most remote parts of the car's interior.
That's important when trying to learn about the effects of an impact on the less-vital parts of the body. You can live without legs, for instance, but Volvo is constantly learning about how to better protect the lower extremities to minimize injury. An intrusion-actuator system, for instance, simulates the results of an object piercing through the vehicle's structure in a serious crash.
Obviously, crash-testing isn't a cost-friendly venture. For that reason, the Crash Centre houses a supercomputer which is capable of conducting up to 6 "virtual" crash-tests per day.
There's a specialized test-track which features a moveable 850-ton crash barrier. It's angle can be quickly adjusted up to 90 degrees by a single operator, making it one of the most comprehensive and efficient facilities for destroying vehicles in the name of safety.
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Of course, there's more to it then simply driving test-cars at high rates of speed into one another. Dozens of cameras filming at 3,000 frames per second capture images from every angle, while high-intensity lighting makes sure engineers are able to see test results even from the most remote parts of the car's interior.
That's important when trying to learn about the effects of an impact on the less-vital parts of the body. You can live without legs, for instance, but Volvo is constantly learning about how to better protect the lower extremities to minimize injury. An intrusion-actuator system, for instance, simulates the results of an object piercing through the vehicle's structure in a serious crash.
Obviously, crash-testing isn't a cost-friendly venture. For that reason, the Crash Centre houses a supercomputer which is capable of conducting up to 6 "virtual" crash-tests per day.
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