'We can quite simply move the reality of the roads into our crash laboratory,' says Ingrid Skogsmo.įor barrier tests, only the fixed track is used. The movable track can be turned by up to 90 degrees, allowing car-to-car impacts from full frontal to right-angled from the side. The ability to combine two tracks - one that can be moved - makes the laboratory at the Volvo Cars Safety Center unique in the automotive world. Volvo Cars Safety Centre also features a crash laboratory with two tracks meeting in a cathedral-like hall with 14.5 metres (48 ft) to the ceiling. The overhead photo light crane holds 28 lamps, which create a light intensity that is about three times the intensity on a sunny summer day. The sled accelerates to a speed of 25 metres per second (82 ft/sec) within 100 milliseconds.Įvery detail of the simulation is documented by video cameras on the sled and on two moving camera sleds, all cameras shooting 1000 pictures per second in color.

The sled weighs 30 tonnes (60,000 lbs.) and moves along broad steel rails. The front and rear end of the sled are controlled individually to enable any combination of pitch and vertical motion, To simulate pitch and vertical motion, the complete sled is guided on rails that move in the vertical direction by vertical hydraulic actuators. The actuator positions can be adapted to simulate different vehicle models. To simulate intrusion, the front part of the sled's passenger compartment is cut into sections, which are reinforced and mounted to onboard hydraulic actuators.

The sled is the only simulator in the world with the ability to simulate both the deformation of the passenger compartment and at the same time create the pitching and vertical motion that the passenger compartment undergoes in a crash. Simulating deformation, pitch and vertical motion This reduces the number of complete car tests, which saves both cost and time.' 'The setup time is short and we can develop and test complete restraint systems in a more realistic way. 'With the new crash simulator we can perform tests that correspond much better to complete car crash tests', says Ingrid Skogsmo, Director at Volvo Cars Safety Center. The crash simulator is capable of simulating all kinds of crash tests - without destroying the car body. Volvo Cars leads the way in car safety development by adding a unique crash simulator to the sophisticated technology in the company's safety center.

New, unique crash simulator in Volvo Cars' Safety Center

Online car crash simulator