Soft, inward-folding car bonnet could save lives, cut head trauma ‘by 60 pc’
February 15th, 2011 - 2:12 pm ICT by ANILondon, Feb 15 (ANI): Scientists at Cellbond in collaboration with Ruskin University in Cambridge have designed a ‘pedestrian friendly bonnet’ that folds inward on impact.
They claim it could save thousands of lives and reduce head trauma by 60 per cent for those hit by cars.
“During an impact the pedestrian exerts a dynamic force on the car bonnet. If the kinetic energy of the impact is not absorbed the bonnet will exert equal amount of the force that impacts it, causing injury,” the Daily Mail quoted Professor Hassan Shirvani, of Anglia Ruskin University, as saying.
“This Cellbond design reduced the “head impact criteria” by 50 to 60 per cent, hence the energy is absorbed in the collapsing structure.”
“The idea is to have every new car fitted with these bonnets. We have got a major and very prestigious car manufacturer that is very interested but I cannot name them,” he added.
A spokesman for the Cambridge Cycling Campaign said, “Anything that reduces the injury caused to vulnerable road users is a good thing. But it seems likely this would be an expensive method, and there are many tried and tested ways of reducing injury that could be introduced first.”
“Reducing speeds on residential and shopping streets from 30mph to 20mph is a far easier way - and less costly - to more than halve the kinetic energy of such impacts,” he added. (ANI)
- Now, new car systems to protect pedestrians from accidents - Apr 17, 2009
- Volvo's new safety feature to prevent hitting wayward pedestrians - Nov 12, 2009
- Forget speed breakers, plant more trees to deter rash driving! - Mar 09, 2011
- Coming soon: Self-braking car that saves lives - Aug 01, 2010
- Scientists use sunlight and water to make hydrogen tirelessly - Feb 13, 2010
- Robert Gould's car hit by flying cow - Aug 16, 2011
- Increasing efficiency could cut global power usage by over 70pc - Jan 27, 2011
- Drugs, overeating, anger and sex 'are main triggers of heart attacks' - Feb 24, 2011
- Stressed? Drum it away - May 15, 2011
- 4m Brit motorists 'don't even know how to open a car bonnet' - Mar 25, 2011
- Kids 'fail to detect' cars travelling faster than 20mph - Mar 20, 2011
- Rescuers feared Gascoigne was dead after car crash - Jun 15, 2010
- Gordon Murray Designed Car Clears Crash Impact Test - Jan 20, 2011
- Rise in number of US children suffering injuries from using adult-sized ATV's - Apr 05, 2011
- Adding face shields to helmets could prevent blast-induced brain injuries - Nov 23, 2010
Tags: anglia ruskin university, bonnet, bonnets, cambridge, car manufacturer, collaboration, could save thousands, daily mail, dynamic force, hassan, head impact, head trauma, kinetic energy, london feb, new car, prestigious car, scientists, shirvani, spokesman, vulnerable road users