Now Ye're Talking - to a Car Designer

Is it possible for air bags to go off if a car is hit and the ignition is off

Why don't air bags always go off when it looks like a car is hit hard enough and vice versa

Can u name any of the previous cars u have a hand in designing

Are u responsible for any of the major safety systems seen nowadays in mass produced cars

Not sure you answered this earlier. What has been the biggest leap forward in automotive safety since the seat belt

As a kid, I was always fascinated by Volvo's having their lights lights on all throughout the day. Is this true or am I imagining it. Think an 8 year old me asked my dad why and he said it's because it's dark in Scandinavia for longer. Am I making all this up or was that the case? Could they be switched off?

Also, I think we had a Renault 18 back in the late 80's/early 90's and seem to recall that the headlights had mini wipers on them. Do you remember this and if so, what's that about? Was it for snow or dirt? Was there a water valve too?

Does Lewis Hamilton look like Theo Walcott and are they the same person?

Zebrano wrote: »

Is it possible for air bags to go off if a car is hit and the ignition is off

Why don't air bags always go off when it looks like a car is hit hard enough and vice versa

Can u name any of the previous cars u have a hand in designing

Are u responsible for any of the major safety systems seen nowadays in mass produced cars

Not sure you answered this earlier. What has been the biggest leap forward in automotive safety since the seat belt

No. There is usually a/multiple accelerometers which must provide a reading to one or more ECUs which determine fire/no-fire.

This also answers the second question, the fire/no-fire is determined based on the accelerations reached. The airbag doesn't always go off.

Depending on the vehicle I've worked on, I've been responsible for the side-crash performance, pedestrian impact performance, seat-belt archorage retention, ISOFIX - and am now also responsible for front and rear high speed and roof crush. So yeah, most structural performance. The systems have been primarily, the Body in White, Doors and Seats.

I've only been in the game for about 7 years, and seatbelts came in what, in the 60s? So in my time, I guess ISOFIX has been a major improvement. The proper protection of babies and young children has improved immensley in vehicles.

rameire wrote: »

Cheers for your time.

in relation to safety and Lights, and the European Rule for DRL's for all New cars.

why cant they ( manufacturers ) go above and beyond the call of regulations and actually just make it that as soon as the engine goes on, your full rear and headlights go on.
it will stop the countless threads on boards and people becoming angry when they see idiots driving with only their front DRL's on in the middle of the night in a rain storm.

oh, and are wing mirrors an after thought on cars when designing, they always seem to whistle,
and they cause rain splash and dirt on side windows.

I agree, I wish they'd just quit the messing about and have the lights on at all times. Ask Mr.David (below) about the whistling - he's q bit of experience onn that. I must say, I've never (noticed or) experienced that in a car before...

Omackeral wrote: »

As a kid, I was always fascinated by Volvo's having their lights lights on all throughout the day. Is this true or am I imagining it. Think an 8 year old me asked my dad why and he said it's because it's dark in Scandinavia for longer. Am I making all this up or was that the case? Could they be switched off?

Also, I think we had a Renault 18 back in the late 80's/early 90's and seem to recall that the headlights had mini wipers on them. Do you remember this and if so, what's that about? Was it for snow or dirt? Was there a water valve too?

Does Lewis Hamilton look like Theo Walcott and are they the same person?

Don't all the Scandi cars do this? To be honest a quick google could solve all this...

Yes they're the same person, obvs

Mr.David wrote: »

Have you ever been involved in a crash?

If so, would be curious to hear of the circumstances!

:pac:

Yes. I've repressed that memory though!

Kevin Irving wrote: »

The safety systems of a modern car are incredible. Even the disparity between the two ends of the safety spectrum in cars that can be bought today is quite large. What FEA packages do you use for simulation? How do you think new technology will impact your job? Will there be less of a requirement for 10+ airbags in a car which will intervene before a crash?

(Working in a Teir one supplier myself, and the level of detail that goes into absolutely every single part on a modern car is beyond belief.)

I use as solvers, LS-DYNA and RADIOSS. Pre: Hypermesh, Ansa, Primer, Hypercrash. Post: Hyperview, THis, D3PLOT, Hypergraph, Animator 3.

The law and consumer tests would need to change for passive safety systems to be relaxed. I do hope it will happen though. The hope would be that eventually cars will no longer impact other cars or stationary objects. However, pedestrian, cyclist etc. impacts will most probably always happen. I think safety design will move much more towards environmental safety than occupant safety. This for all motoring lovers out there could lead to some very frumpy looking cars... On the other hand, if passive safety systems get lessened, there's more package for absorbing impacts of pedestrians, and package is absolute key to delivering pedestrian safety so knows where design could head.