There’s no doubt that modern cars are getting safer and safer. But nobody would have imagined that a modern car can veer off road, fly in the air for nearly 82 feet at full speed, crash, and still save all its occupants. That’s what happened in case of this Tesla Model S.
All five people aboard were able to walk away from the crash, though they were later airlifted to be treated for serious “but non-life threatening” injuries. This crash goes on to prove how important crumple zones are in modern cars, crumple zones that actually work when things go wrong.
Driving at high speed, the woman couldn’t negotiate a turn. This led to the car going airborne, and into a field, but not before rolling over at least once. The driver was an eighteen year old woman, driving her father’s car in Pullach, Germany, when this accident happened.
As the images indicate, the front end of the car’s completely damaged by the cabin remains relatively unaffected. Made of impact absorbing boron steel rails, the crumple zone of this Tesla Model S seems to have absorbed most of the impact of the crash. A longer the crumple zone, the better the crash absorption, just as this crash proves.
This long crumple zone it seems has allowed energy to disperse, leaving the passenger compartment intact and the occupants relatively safe. It also helps that the Model S doesn’t have an engine up front, unlike most conventional cars. Instead, the boron steel rails replace the engine and act as a crumple zone.
All 8 airbags of the car also seem to have deployed, further protecting occupants from whiplash injuries. The passenger cell itself is made of aluminum and reinforced with steel rails to make it stronger against intrusion. All in all, the five occupants of the car will be thanking automotive safety improvements for their lives.
Via Merkur