A Hyundai Getz that is really at the end of its life might be interesting for export to Africa, but what if we let it end up against the wall? A sad ending, but it does give us an answer to the question of how safe an 18-year-old car actually is.
The sound is reminiscent of the whine of an old tram. Through the windows of the protected area we see a compact Hyundai Getz driving towards a concrete wall. A steel cable in the floor ensures that the old Korean reaches a speed of exactly 50 km/h. The sound quickly approaches and swells to the level of an air raid siren, followed by an unprecedented blow. The fumes from the airbag hang in front of the brightly lit wall, the sudden silence almost eerie. The Getz has just breathed his last. The little Korean, which in the past mainly convinced buyers with its low price and convincing equipment level, served for many years as a daily means of transport, until the MOT inspection ended the fun last year. The front axle was eaten away by rust, repairing it was no longer worth it from a financial point of view. After almost 270,000 kilometers, the end approached for the Hyundai. Now, of course, it could have been given a third life in Eastern Europe or Africa, but we used the Getz today to answer an exciting question: how long do safety systems such as airbags and seat belt tensioners actually work? In such a second-hand car you sometimes wonder how safe you are still on the road and how well or badly the occupants are protected in the event of a collision.
To find the answer to that question, we are today in the crash test center of test organization Dekra, in Neumünster, Germany, which is headed by Thilo Wackenroder. Together with his team, he was responsible for the preparation for this second-hand crash.
Excellent work
The explosion smoke from both airbags has since cleared, the glass and plastic splinters no longer pose a threat. The crashed Getz did leave a few tears on the floor. Or maybe it’s coolant? But it could also be that cars have a small, non-rusting soul.
In the event of a collision, the main role is played by the airbags and the seat belt tensioners, which have done an excellent job in this case. Four high-speed cameras have each taken 1,000 photos per second and provide clearly visible evidence: 17 milliseconds after the impact the seat belt tensioners started working, two milliseconds later the airbag cover in the steering wheel and dashboard open. Shortly afterwards, the airbags serve as protective cushions for the dummies’ heads. After just 37.9 milliseconds, the whole spectacle is over. By comparison, the blink of your eyes lasts almost 100 milliseconds!
The reassuring conclusion we can draw: in this 50 km/h collision, the occupants would have only suffered minor injuries. That the belt tensioners have done their job well is made clear by the wear pattern on the belt strap. The belt was initially shortened by about 10 centimeters, after which it lengthened again in a controlled manner by 15 centimeters to reduce the pressure on the chest. As a result, the occupants are well off.
However, this does not alter the fact that a slightly higher speed, a different angle of collision or a crash into a tree could lead to serious damage and therefore serious injuries.
Now it’s time to take a look at the crashed Korean’s body. The mantra of bodies is: process energy, process energy! And preferably as much as possible, so that the bodies of the occupants are cushioned as gently as possible. The front of the body should therefore serve as a kind of buffer, the steering wheel and pedals should not extend too far into the interior. The Getz has performed this arduous task visibly well. The high-speed images from the four cameras even show how the collision energy is distributed. At the sides, it shoots from front to back as a powerful sound wave that becomes visible. The entire bodywork processes the collision energy in this way. And there is one more aspect. “In small cars, the bodywork is sturdier,” notes crash chief Wackenroder. “With larger cars there is more room for survival, in other words larger cars have a larger crumple zone.”
Pat on the back
The Getz appears to be quite sturdy, even after 18 years and damage from rust. Project leader Markus Groer walks around the car with us, pointing to the mudguards and doors, for example. The front fenders were replaced three years ago because the old ones had traces of rust, but that has not had a negative effect on the crash capabilities. No mudguards were pushed in front of the doors during the collision, and all four doors can still be opened without any problems after the crash. After the collision, the occupants could have easily got out or been helped by emergency services. Expert Wackenroder shows in the interior the pressed or torn trim parts under the steering wheel and glove compartment by the dummy legs. “The plastic components also absorb energy, protecting the legs.”
Thus, as the color traces of the dummy heads and legs on the dashboard show, they cushioned the impact of the lower legs in an excellent way. We only have one thing left: to give the Hyundai a final pat on the back. The old Getz really deserved that after this result.