Automotive Safety

Safety testing is the cornerstone of MGA. It defines the ability of a vehicle to protect occupants during crash events. How a vehicle or component performs during safety testing is critical to the manufacturer. MGA’s staff of test engineers have decades of experience in all aspects of safety testing.

Defining the Requirement

The most commonly used phrases in vehicle commercials and print ads are "Top Safety Pick" and "Five-star" crash test rating. The goal is to provide the highest level of safety possible for the product. However, for the suppliers, sometimes the issue is figuring out which standards apply to your product. That is where MGA can help you. Industry-defined standards such as FMVSS, ECE and SAE, are used to evaluate many different types of safety scenarios. The set of tests required for your product is dependent on the product itself. The most common safety products include:

 

  • Full Vehicles
  • Airbags and Seatbelts
  • Sensor Systems – including Active Safety Devices and “Emergency Call – E-Call” systems
  • Seats including head restraints and airbag suppression systems
  • Instrument panel and cockpit assemblies
  • Bumpers
  • Doors
  • Roof structures

Types of Tests

Almost everyone can associate the words crash test to something they have seen on TV. Popular news shows regularly do segments on the latest government crash test results. Long before the government tests the vehicle however, hundreds or perhaps even thousands of tests have been conducted on the vehicle and its safety components. These include:

  • Full-vehicle crash testing including frontal, side, rollover or car-to-car impacts.
  • Sled testing to evaluate unbelted/belted occupant use.
  • Crash simulation evaluating moving objects or projectiles (e.g. luggage).
  • Head impact testing to determine injury values.
  • Static and synchronized airbag deployment.
  • Seat anchorage strength and belt pull testing.
  • Bumper evaluation including underride on large trucks.

 

Other Transportation Industries

Other transportation industries (transit, bus, train/railcar, plane, etc.) have similar test standards like the automotive industry. MGA has years of experience working with these other industries as well. Industry-defined standards such as APTA, MIL-STD, and SAE are used to test specific scenarios related to that particular industry.