Sadly, my first thought was-
Sweet.
Posted on 05/10/2006 7:56:31 PM PDT by blam
Shape-shifting car will brace for impact
15:34 10 May 2006
NewScientist.com news service
Tom Simonite
A car that can anticipate a side-on impact and subtly alter its body shape to absorb the force of the crash is being developed by researchers in Germany.
The car will use hood-mounted cameras and radar to spot a vehicle on course for a side-on collision. Once it realises an impact is imminent it will activate a shape-shifting metal in the door. This reinforces the bond between door and frame, which is normally a weak spot, and distributes the force of the blow more safely.
Side impacts are as common as front or rear ones but cause many more injuries, says Joachim Tandler, a car safety researcher at engineering firm Siemens who is working on the EU-funded project.
"It's because there is so little crush zone, and less energy is absorbed before the passenger compartment is crushed," he told New Scientist. There is also insufficient time for a conventional safety system – such as a built-in airbag – to react and protect a passenger, he says.
Impact velocity
Tandler's team is working on a solution that will help protect those inside a car even before it is struck. The researchers have begun testing the impact-sensing system on experimental vehicles and have built prototypes of the shape-changing, frame-reinforcing system. "Starting next year we will have a fully integrated system on a car," he says. "In 2008 we will start full crash tests."
The experimental vehicles have radar sensors installed at the front and rear and stereo cameras in the back window. These feed information to an on-board computer that calculates the chances of an impact. "It can recognise if something is going to hit the car, identify where it will hit and its velocity," Tandler says.
To protect those inside the car, the computer would then activate a shape-memory alloy in the side door by feeding an electrical current through it. The alloy changes shape in response to heat and swells to make a stronger connection with the car's frame. The energy of the impact is then spread more widely around the car, and the risk to anyone inside is reduced. "This could make a big difference to anyone inside the car," Tandler says.
Sometimes she is an evil bitch, sometimes she is a demure princess.
Sadly, my first thought was-
Sweet.
I'm still waiting for the total awareness HUD for civilian vehicles.
Imagine a car with an HUD display on its interior windshield. The computer and vehicle sensors tie into the "roadway" network and exchange data with other vehicles regarding environment, conditions, and safety hazards, and those hazards are outlined on your windshield. The more cars on the road, the more information. A speeding vehicle can transmit that its driver is driving recklessly, preparing drivers nearby to avoid a collision. The car in front in the right hand lane will broadcast the presence of a pedestrian about to step out on the street. Emergency vehicles will be able to request route clearances well ahead of themselves, and request data back from surrounding vehicles regarding road conditions along different routes.
But what I really want is to be able to hack my car to play PacMan when I'm stuck in heavy traffic.. ;-)
Treat her like a thoroughbred, and she won't [have to] be a nag.
;-)
A good test would have a driver run through a red light and hit my F-250 that has a .500 walled square tube wrapped around the underside. I believe it's 4140 steel.
Exactly. Why not just install some ablative armor? It'd be cheaper.
She is treated like a queen.
She does not even have to work, and we have no children (yet).
I am trying to adopt a 17 year old Korean daughter, and she is against it.
gofigger.
Sounds like you married a friggin' BAAAAAD SEEEEEEED!
:-p
Beat me to it lol.
Me too. More than meets the eye.
I hope you bought a comfy F-250 or an F-350. You will find from 6+ feet up that little cars will BOW DOWN in your presence on any street or freeway. You are BIG, faster and have 4000 lbs. more of kinetic energy. Good sound system, AC, and room to put "stuff" in. I like mine! Get the BF/Goodrich A/T radials and put a US flag on the back of your matching grey/metallic camper shell. Price=&40K.
My first thought was: another sure proof of evolution!
she is a bad seed to be sure.
we have come to terms.
otherwise i die.
now what?
Why can't they just do this whenever the door is closed - it would be a whole lot easier than this whole sensing scheme.
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