Vehicle safety testing must evolve to keep up with the times. Amount of technology and driver assistance features in new car is amazing, so crash test must match the upgrade. Australia’s ANCAP testing agency is make a surprising change according to its crash test criteria: Starting January 2023, it will test new vehicle about their performance underwater.
The tests help determine how easily vehicle occupants can get out after a vehicle is submerged in water. In order for a vehicle to receive a five-star rating, it must be “escapeable” for a period of time underwater. It sounds (and looks) silly to test cars for underwater demonstrations, but the driving force behind the tests is sound. When a driver encounters water and the vehicle is flooded, water pressure and panic can make it nearly impossible to open the door.
ANCAP testing requires occupants to be able to open and lower power windows for up to 10 minutes after the vehicle is submerged. Automakers whose vehicles do not meet the new standards must provide a way for occupants to manually break or open the side windows.
Car wreck deaths are extremely rare in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds that the average of 384 people died because of traffic each year from 2004 to 2007 could have been due to drowning. That number represents less than 1% of traffic deaths in the United States in 2007, so the frequency of such accidents is low. Even so, anyone who has ever experienced the horror of door locks and malfunctioning windows on dry land can imagine the sheer panic that would ensue if the same thing happened underwater.
Perhaps more alarming is the number of new cars with retractable handles and fancy designs for opening doors. Some Tesla Owners have complained that their door handles freeze in winter weather, and many other automakers with similar designs are on the market.
Although the standard of underwater testing has only appeared in Australiawouldn’t be surprised to see a The same standard comes to the United States. Vehicle safety testing criteria are updated regularly to include new vehicle and technology features, so it may just be a matter of time before we see similar tests.
