The prize was received by Prof. Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre, at the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) Conference in Seoul, South Korea.

At the ESV Conference, Prof. Lotta Jakobsson held a presentation about Volvo Cars’ achievements within pedestrian protection. She presented a paper on the Pedestrian Airbag Technology in the new Volvo V40.

“The purpose of the world’s first airbag for pedestrians is to help protect these vulnerable road users in certain situations when they impact the bonnet and the area around the windscreen, where there may be a risk of serious head injuries,” said Jakobsson.

The goal of this system is to address a global challenge

In China, 25 percent of traffic fatalities are pedestrians. In Europe, the figure is 14 percent and in the U.S., 12 percent.

A far larger numbers of pedestrians are injured.

The most serious head injuries involving pedestrians and cars are caused by the hard structure under the hood, the windshield’s lower edge and the A-pillars.

In 2010, Volvo Cars said it counteracted the statistics by launching Pedestrian Detection with full auto brake. The system can avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds of up to 35 kph (21.75 mph) if the driver does not respond in time. At higher speeds, the focus is on reducing the car’s speed as much as possible before the collision.

In order to mitigate the consequences if a collision with a pedestrian is unavoidable, the Volvo V40, launched in 2012, comes equipped with the world’s first Pedestrian Airbag Technology.

Seven sensors embedded in the front of the car transmit signals to a control unit. When the car comes into contact with an object, the control unit evaluates the signals and if it registers a human-like leg form, the pedestrian airbag is deployed.

The hood hinges are equipped with pyrotechnical release mechanisms which, when the system is activated, pull out a pin and release the rear of the hood. At the same time, the airbag is inflated. During the inflation sequence, the airbag raises the hood. It is lifted ten centimeters (four inches) and stays in the raised position.

The added gap between the hood and the hard components in the engine compartment gives space for the hood to deform, absorbing energy and dampening the impact of the pedestrian’s head and chest.

“The airbag has a dual function. It raises the hood to create distance. Then it helps to cushion the impact by covering the hard parts around the windshield,” explains Lotta Jakobsson.

In 2012, the all-new Volvo V40 achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating and also won the Euro NCAP Best in Class in the Small Family class – with the best overall result ever recorded by the organization.

The V40 scored an all-time high in the pedestrian evaluation by attaining 88 percent of the total score.

“Several studies have documented that our collision-avoiding systems lead to significant accident reductions in real-life traffic. By continuously introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our aim that by 2020 no one should be injured or killed in a new Volvo,” said Jakobsson.

The post Volvo’s Pedestrian Protection Wins Global NCAP Innovation Award appeared first on HybridCars.com.

This is good news for a car that is known to be one of the most popular small car among individual buyers

The 2013 Civic Sedan recently received the top 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in the NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), and the highest possible rating of Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, including a top score of Good in the new small overlap frontal collision test.

Honda said it leads all automakers with every one of its tested model year 2013 vehicles earning a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2013 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe are the first and only small cars to earn the IIHS’ highest safety rating of Top Safety Pick, and the NCAP 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for the Civic Sedan further separates Civic from the competition in safety ratings performance.

The 2013 Accord also earned these high safety ratings in the midsize segment.

“Car shoppers cannot find a small car with higher overall safety ratings than the 2013 Honda Civic,” said Art St. Cyr, vice president of product planning and logistics at American Honda. “Safety ratings leadership across product lines is a fundamental part of not only our strategic business plan, but also our philosophy as a company.”

The Civic Sedan, which Honda said was significantly re-engineered for 2013, is equipped with Honda’s next generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, which contributes to make Civic the first small car to earn a Top Safety Pick+ crash safety rating, and the first to earn the highest rating of GOOD in the IIHS’ new small overlap frontal crash test (sometimes called a ‘narrow offset’ test).

This aggressive test is designed to simulate what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or utility pole at high speed.

Honda said the reinforced ACE body structure found on the 2013 Civic further enhances frontal crash energy through a wider range of these offset and oblique collision scenarios.

Additional standard safety equipment on all Civic models include Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; and driver and front passenger side airbags.

The post Honda’s Civic Tops All Safety Ratings appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The new functionality is an enhancement of the present detection and auto brake technology, and the package will be called Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake.

All Volvo cars equipped with pedestrian detection will also incorporate cyclist detection.

“As the leader in automotive safety, we have been first in the industry with all detection and auto brake technologies, from the first-generation brake support in 2006 to pedestrian detection with full auto brake in 2010,” said Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Car Group.

According to accident data, about 50 percent of all cyclists killed in European traffic have collided with a car.

New advanced software, including more rapid vision processing, has made it possible to extend the present detection and auto brake technology to cover also certain cyclist situations.

“Our solutions for avoiding collisions with unprotected road users are unique in the industry. By covering more and more objects and situations, we reinforce our world-leading position within automotive safety. We keep moving towards our long-term vision to design cars that do not crash,” said Doug Speck.

The Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake will be available starting this May 2013 in the Volvo V40, S60, V60, XC60, V70, XC70 and S80 models.

Volvo said the advanced sensor system scans the area ahead. If a cyclist heading in the same direction as the car suddenly swerves out in front of the car as it approaches from behind and a collision is imminent, there is an instant warning and full braking power is applied.

The car’s speed has considerable importance for the outcome of an accident. A lower speed of impact means that the risk of serious injury is significantly reduced.

Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake consists of a radar unit integrated into the car’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rear-view mirror and a central control unit.

The radar’s task is to detect objects in front of the car and to determine the distance to them. The camera determines the type of the objects. Thanks to the dual-mode radar’s wide field of vision, pedestrians and cyclists can be detected early on. The high-resolution camera makes it possible to spot the moving pattern of pedestrians and cyclists. The central control unit continuously monitors and evaluates the traffic situation.

The auto brake system requires both the radar and the camera to confirm the object. With the advanced sensor technology, it is then possible to apply full braking power immediately when necessary.

The technology also covers vehicles driving in the same lane.

The post Cyclist Collision Avoidance Launched By Volvo appeared first on HybridCars.com.

The Focus Electric, which is Ford’s first all-electric passenger vehicle, earned a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing, which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.

“As more people shop for electrified vehicles, the Focus Electric now offers both a top vehicle safety rating from NHTSA and a faster-charging technology that allows it to fully recharge in three to four hours,” said Steve Kenner, global director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office.

Safety-wise, the Focus Electric features front and side airbag technologies that Ford said is programmed to tailor deployment to individual occupants. The driver’s airbag uses a reconfigured curve-shaped tether system that pulls in the lower section to create a “pocket” to help lessen the impact of the airbag on the driver’s chest and ribs in frontal crashes. The side airbags feature unique shoulder vents that stay open and reduce pressure for smaller occupants who typically benefit from reduced forces.

The Focus Electric safety and security features include:

• AdvanceTrac with electronic stability control
• Dual-stage front airbags
• Front seat side airbags
• Side-curtain airbags
• Four-wheel anti-lock braking system
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tether Anchors for Children)
• Anti-theft engine immobilizer

The 2013 Ford Focus, which the Focus Eletric is based-on, earned a NHTSA five-star Overall Vehicle Score as well.

Ford just announced that more than 900 Ford dealers will soon be certified to sell plug-in electrified vehicles. Ford said the spike in electric vehicle-certified Ford dealers reflects increased demand for the company’s electrified vehicles.

Ford’s share of the electrified vehicle market is now second behind Toyota.

The post Five Star Safety Rating For Ford Focus Electric appeared first on HybridCars.com.