Crash Test Lada Priora: Phase 2

The ratio of cars to Russia as potentially unsafe moved from the category of rumors in the stereotype. On the task of the Russian auto giant to reverse the situation to their advantage became even more complicated. But to the credit of AvtoVAZ idea of ??a vehicle in compliance with European safety standards had not gone along with many other projects, but rather is one of the key ongoing activities of the company. The idea to crash-test Lada Priora in front of journalists from leading Russian automotive media in itself seem absurd, but the management of AvtoVAZ, bust himself and his principles, nevertheless, agreed to this experiment, and that from it came out, and we have learned. Aircraft in Togliatti only ready to take off, but the passengers were only registered on the flight, while in the waiting room assembled a lively crowd that gathered around the press center of AvtoVAZ, asking for details of the upcoming crash test. Surprisingly, until the very last moment of the past were sure that will beat Lada Priora in the back of a hatchback, but in laboratory safety sedan was just the second generation or, as the engineers - «Lada Priora phase 2". Mysterious acronym means nothing more than a Lada Priora a complete "Suite", equipped with two airbags, ABS, seat belts with pretensioners, which goes on sale in early 2008. In addition to the listed equipment body Lada Priora «Lux has been significantly modified, in a design has been many changes through which managed to increase the stiffness of the driver's cell, to reduce the movement of the steering column, pedals and racks. For example, metal inserts reinforced floor, stands the windshield, side skirts, spars, door panels, added a few boards of security in general, did their best to strain the body has become smaller than the current Lada Priora. Where did this Lada Priora Phase 2? Maybe it specially prepared for the crash-test, to deceive us? Well, no, times are not the same, and the sale of Russian producers, in spite of its mass, has been steadily falling, and if someone suspects a trick ... AvtoVAZ it will cost you. Car in the production version will look almost the same. This, of course, not the version with the pipeline, all the safety features have been developed and added to the body structure in the walls of the laboratory safety, but we were assured that every one of them necessarily perekochuyut a production version. Equipment is beyond doubt, everything is in line with international standards, even the smallest sensors purchased from leading manufacturers. Anthropometric Hybrid III dummy is the same as used in all testing laboratories Euro NCAP and the technique is fully consistent: at 64 km / h car with a 40 percent overlap hits the left side on a fixed deformable barrier, made of aluminum plates. This move mimics the most common according to European research head-on collision of two vehicles similar mass, leading to unsafe motor vehicles, as a rule, serious injury or death. The task of bringing the Lada Priora to the expected level of safety of 4 stars in Euro NCAP procedure was complicated for the engineers and AvtoVAZ has the financial component. Given that the new model is perelitsovkoy Lada 110, the question of "how to save" has become a major headache for security engineers. According to representatives of AvtoVAZ solutions were found, and we are left only to see it in the complex impact testing of the Volga plant. And here we are in the walls of the hangar, which is called "Building 69" Catapult "is a cozy clutter on the walls apart mannequins and equipment for their calibration and laterally along the booster gauge placed participants of previous crash tests. After taking a safe place on the second floor in a safe area, we started to observe the process of preparation. All the mannequins planted in its place: the front two "adults" behind two passengers of the "children", as prescribed by the requirements of Euro NCAP. In general, fellows AvtoVAZ, they finally realized that looking only at the Russian safety requirements and even the demands of the UN / ECE is meaningless, you need to catch up with the entire civilized world. By the way, the Regulation number 94 and 95 of the UN / ECE meets not only the Lada Priora, successfully homologated to meet these demands has passed 10 th family, Lada 4x4, Kalina and the Chevrolet Niva, which gives them every reason to be sold in the markets of Eastern and Western Europe. Silver car "sentenced" to the destruction of stands by the obstacles which he has to hit. On the boards of Lada Priora pasted the inscription "980" - is the serial number of impact tests, which will be made before our eyes. A few minutes to prepare, start, punch! In addition to a loud bang and clouds of smoke at first nothing was clear. Lada Priora rebounded in the right direction, the chuck Zhiguli crushed almost to the windshield - not a sight of the light, then the desire to go to the oncoming lane, and generally create emergency situations, disappears altogether. But we came here not there to receive the shocking emotions. By car immediately approached the laboratory staff, and began to inspect the car. A few minutes later, we followed the remains Lada Priora. From the front of the Lada Priora is almost nothing left, the hood took the form of irregular arches, the battery is split from it poured acid, lights popped out of its "orbit", even strongly bent wheel drive - but it means nothing is more important to feel like myself mannequins, and what happened to the structure of the body. The roof is deformed by the windshield pillar - this is called loss of structural integrity of the passenger cell, and for that deducted one point. Threshold by visual inspection remains whole, but the door is jammed so that it had to open with a crowbar. Mannequins were free legs were not pinched, it means that a passenger can be freely extracted from the car. Head Injury Criterion HIC almost three times less than the maximum permissible value in 1000 as a driver and a passenger - a brilliant result. For contacting the driver's head with the steering column - minus one point. In the video also shows how the driver dummy's head hits the pillow security "person", then slips off the pillow and hits the door, and the occipital part is the technique Euro NCAP shall not be taken, but if the head of a living person would describe this " arc "injuries of the cervical vertebrae are provided. Rudder moved into the cabin of a 52 millimeter - is within normal limits. As a result, 3 points for evaluation of head and neck. Chest deflection was 28 mm for the driver and 29 mm for the passenger to obtain the maximum score, it must be less than 22 mm, total - yellow colored silhouette of the two dummies, the steering wheel has not touched his chest, and chest score - 2.14 points. Since the estimate knees, hips and pelvis are worse off here just 1.69 points out of 4 possible. The force on the driver's left hip was 5.5 Kilonewton, with the limit value of 9.07 kN, and the likelihood of injury when the point of contact is very likely. A passenger is in this trial has shown very good results, but, again, the technique Euro NCAP for it put a penalty score. Right-hand side as a driver and a passenger out of the area at risk, but here, when the point of contact, all could end in a much worse - even minus score. Shins and feet were out of danger, sex, Lada Priora in the cabin was left whole, the brake pedal at 88 mm is not acceptable has shifted to the salon at all, and in an upright position moved to the allowable 80 mm. The total score for the frontal assault was found to be 10.56 points. By the method of maximum Euro NCAP score for frontal impact - 16, as much for the side crash test (18 if the vehicle is equipped with side airbags or curtain air bag type, for it held the two side impact - the usual and hit a pole), the total scores can be extended in the presence of alarms about not wearing your safety belt - up to 3 points each (two in front and one rear). Maximum score - 37. Earlier Lada Priora Phase 2 was a series of side crash tests, the latter by 13 points. To get an overall assessment of a 4 star car to collect a total of 24 points, the Lada Priora is now 23.56 - does not hold out? European Agency for Safety in such cases, uses the usual method of arithmetic rounding, ie Lada Priora finally gets 4 points for adult occupant safety. After the crash test by the representatives of AvtoVAZ once again assured us that the production car will be modified to allow him to earn extra points, in this case 4 stars will be clear and unequivocal. Arrange a demonstration crash-test again or spend it themselves, and may be sent to break into Europe - we do not know. One thing is, despite the skepticism about the Russian automaker, one of the biggest problems, he seems to cope, because less than 23.56 points on how Euro NCAP and earn more eminent rivals