Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Nissan Juke Among I.I.H.S. Top Safety Picks

By CHERYL JENSEN
On Thursday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released crash-test results for 13 small cars. Six earned top scores, bringing the total number of small cars named top safety picks by the institute to 22.

The I.I.H.S., which is funded by the insurance industry, also released a list of the 10 small cars that claim top crash-test scores as well as the highest fuel economy ratings in their class.

The six top safety picks consist of 2011 and 2012 models. They are the 2012 Ford Focus and the Honda Civic four-door, as well as the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, the Lexus CT 200h, the Nissan Juke and Toyota Prius.

Other vehicles that were tested but not named top safety picks were the 2011 Dodge Caliber, the Honda CR-Z and Insight, the Nissan Sentra and Versa, the Scion xD and Suzuki SX4.

To earn the top designation, a vehicle must receive a rating of good in all four of the institute’s crash tests: front, side, rear and rollover. Electronic stability control must be available at least as an option. The institute rates on a scale of good, acceptable, marginal and poor.

The Civic, CT 200h, Elantra, Focus and Prius are all produced with at least one model or trim level that achieves an E.P.A. fuel economy rating of at least 40 m.p.g. on the highway.

“The bottom line is that small-car safety is improving, and that many of the most fuel-efficient cars that are available today are now available with very high levels of crash protection, which wasn’t the case a few years ago,” said David Zuby, the institute’s chief research officer, in a telephone interview.

Indeed, most small cars now are equipped with air bags and electronic stability control as standard equipment, and are designed to help protect people better in front, side, rollover and rear-impact crashes.

But the laws of physics still apply, Mr. Zuby noted. People who are more interested in safety than fuel efficiency, for example, would be better served buying a larger car.

When the institute began naming top safety picks with 2006 model-year vehicles, the criteria were less stringent than today. Still, only three small cars — the Honda Civic, Saab 9-2X and Subaru Impreza — received the distinction.

The Hyundai Elantra is an example of the changes that have taken place in this segment. Now a top safety pick, it once earned some of the lowest crash test scores of any passenger vehicles.

The institute also noted that newer small cars achieved substantially better gas mileage than their old models managed.

What prevented 7 of the 13 tested small cars from earning top marks? Five received an acceptable rating in one or more of the tests. They were the Honda CR-Z and Insight, the Nissan Versa and Sentra, and the Scion xD. Meanwhile, the Suzuki SX4 received marginal ratings for rollover and rear protection. The Dodge Caliber also was deemed marginal for side protection, but acceptable in the rollover test.

None of the small cars received a rating of poor in any tests.

For complete lists, visit the I.I.H.S. Web site.

Source;
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/ford-focus-honda-civic-and-nissan-juke-among-i-i-h-s-top-safety-picks/

IIHS awards Top Safety Pick to 2011 Honda Odyssey, GM Lambda CUVs

Honda minivan and 3 large GM SUV models earn 2011 Top Safety Pick award
After earning the top rating of good for roof strength, the Honda Odyssey minivan, and 3 large GM SUVs (GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and Buick Enclave) become the latest 2011 Top Safety Pick winners. The Odyssey is the second minivan to earn Top Safety Pick since the Institute tightened the criteria to include good performance for roof strength in rollover crashes (the other is the Toyota Sienna). These vehicles earlier earned good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection.

In the latest tests, the roof of the Odyssey withstood a force more than 5 times the minivan's weight. The Acadia's roof withstood a force equal to 4 times weight. By comparison, the current federal standard is 1.5 times weight. Top Safety Pick only applies to Acadia, Traverse, and Enclave models manufactured after January 2011, because GM made running changes to improve roof strength for these models.

In addition to good crash test ratings in all 4 Institute tests, award winners must have electronic stability control (ESC), an important crash-avoidance feature.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/12/iihs-awards-top-safety-pick-to-2011-honda-odyssey-gm-lambda-cuv/#continued

Honda Engineer Douglas Longhitano Honored with the SAE

WARRENDALE, Pa., Feb. 10, 2011 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Douglas C. Longhitano, senior engineer, Automotive Safety, Honda R&D Americas, Inc., was honored with the SAE International/InterRegs Standards & Regulations Award for Young Engineers during the SAE International 2011 Government/Industry Meeting, held earlier this year in Washington, D.C.

Established in 2000, this award recognizes a practicing engineer under the age of 40 who is involved in standards, regulations or conformity assessment systems which improved safety or reduced emissions in a ground vehicle mobility product. The nominee is required to author a 2,000 word essay detailing how this was achieved.

Since joining Honda in 1997, Longhitano's career has been dedicated to researching methods for mitigating crash related injuries, especially in the area of pedestrian protection. He has authored more than 20 technical publications related to crash injury mitigation and has presented many of his research findings at conferences such as ESV, the SAE World Congress, World Traffic Safety Symposium and SAE International Government Industry Meeting.

Longhitano earned the Ralph Boyer Young Achiever Award from the Ohio State University and the U.S. Government Award for Engineering Excellence from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for his work automotive safety research. Longhitano is a 15 year member of SAE International and is active on the Human Biomechanics and Simulation Standards Steering Committee as well as the U.S. Technical Advisory Groups to ISO supporting crash injury mitigation related standards. He supports student research as an organizer for the Injury Biomechanics Symposium hosted annually at The Ohio State University and is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, the Central Ohio Impact Biomechanics Engineering Consortium, and the Center for Child Injury Prevention Studies - Industrial Advisory Board.

Longhitano holds a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.
SAE International is a global association of more than 128,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. SAE International's charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which supports many programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series.

Source;
http://www.centredaily.com/2011/02/10/2512661/honda-engineer-douglas-longhitano.html

2011 Honda Odyssey Earns Best-Possible 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in More-Stringent Federal Government Crash Test Safety Rating Program

01/27/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.
The all-new 2011 Honda Odyssey has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) best-possible Overall Vehicle Score1 of five stars and is one of the first two vehicles ever to earn five stars in each seating position for all three crash tests, each crash test category and the overall rating, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The Odyssey joins the 2011 Accord Sedan as one of the few vehicles to date that achieves the federal government's best-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score and five stars in the combined frontal and side crash safety ratings.

The Odyssey achieved its top Overall Vehicle Score with five-star ratings for the frontal crash safety test and both side crash safety tests2 in all evaluated front and rear seating positions and scenarios. Additionally, the Odyssey received four stars for the rollover rating3, the highest achievable in the light-truck vehicle class using the program's measurement methodology.

The newly introduced Overall Vehicle Score is part of the federal government's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that is first being applied to 2011 models. As a convenience to new car shoppers, the Overall Vehicle Score represents the combined results of the overall ratings from the frontal crash tests, the side crash tests and the rollover-resistance into a single, summary score between one and five stars. Additional information is available at www.safercar.gov.

Complete NCAP safety rating results for the 2011 Odyssey are:

All 2011 Odyssey vehicles utilize the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. ACE is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment. Standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); three-row side curtain airbags with rollover sensor; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag; and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system.

Overall, the Odyssey improves for the 2011 model year with greater interior functionality, a more distinctive style and higher fuel economy. Significant enhancements to the interior include a new "3-mode" second-row seat design that is more comfortable for center passengers (Odyssey EX and above). A more powerful and efficient 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine features Variable Cylinder Management (standard on all models for 2011) and produces 248 hp while delivering an EPA-estimated4 city/highway/combined fuel economy of 19/28/22 mpg on Odyssey Touring models.

New technology available on certain models includes a rear entertainment system with a 16.2-inch ultrawide split-screen display and an auxiliary High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) video input, an "intelligent" Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with customizable wallpaper, integration of FM traffic data on navigation models and much more.

The 2011 Odyssey is truly an American-made vehicle – designed, engineered and assembled in the United States. The Odyssey is produced exclusively at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) using domestic and globally sourced parts.

For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/2011-honda-odyssey-earns-best-possible-5-star-overall-vehicle-score-in-more-stringent-federal-government-crash-test-safety-rating-program

Only new Accord is perfect in crash tests

Five other models had 5-star scores on new safety evaluation
The Honda Accord is the only vehicle to get a perfect score under the government's updated crash-rating system.

The 2011 Accord received an overall score of five stars and also got five stars in all three subcategories: frontal crash, side crash and rollover.

"It reflects a commitment to safety that Honda has had for a long time," said Ron Lietzke, a Honda spokesman. "We have invested a lot toward this commitment because it is so important to our customers."

The Accord is Honda's top-selling vehicle. Most of the Accords sold in North America are built in Marysville. Honda's safety testing takes place at the research and development center in Raymond.

Five other vehicles also received an overall score of five stars: the BMW 5 Series, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Hyundai Sonata. But each fell short of a perfect score in at least one category.

About 40 vehicles were tested under the new standards.

"More stars equal safer cars," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood when he introduced the system last month. "With our upgraded Five-Star Safety Ratings System, we're raising the bar on safety. Through new tests, better crash data and higher standards, we are making the safety ratings tougher and more meaningful for consumers."

The new rating system involves more-rigorous testing and provides customers with more detailed information, the Transportation Department said.

Drivers can see the details by going to www.safercar.gov/Safety+Ratings.

Source;
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/11/12/only-new-accord-is-perfect-in-crash-tests.html?sid=101

Honda CR-Z Achieves Top Euro NCAP Overall Safety Rating

The Honda CR-Z has been rated one of Europe‘s safest cars, following on from the success of the Honda Insight, according to the new independent crash testing results from Euro NCAP.

Euro NCAP's rating scheme focuses on the vehicle's overall safety performance which gives consumers an easy to understand single score. The system considers occupant protection in frontal, side, pole and rear impacts, child protection, pedestrian protection and the availability of driver aids. The Honda CR-Z has been awarded the maximum 5-star rating.

The new rating scheme, introduced in February 2009, uses a weighted score, combining many aspects of a car's safety performance: adult (50%), child (20%) and pedestrian (20%) protection assessment results with the availability of safety assistance devices (10%). To qualify for inclusion, safety assistance devices (VSA for Honda) must be fitted as standard across 90% of the EU 27 2010 model range.

The CR-Z is the most recent in a string of Honda cars to receive top marks.Since the introduction of the new rating scheme Euro NCAP have tested 4 other Honda models; Civic, Accord, Jazz and most recently, Insight. All 5 models achieved 5 stars, with the Honda Insight also being named "safest hybrid vehicle" as well as the 2nd safest vehicle tested in 2009.

Euro NCAP's new assessment reflects Honda's commitment to overall vehicle safety, complimenting Honda's long standing in-house safety testing which seeks to improve real world safety. Honda's car-to-car crash test facility at the Tochigi R&D centre analyses impacts between models of different sizes and weights and develops solutions to mitigate injuries for both for passengers and pedestrians. The omni-directional vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility opened in 2001 and is the world's first indoor all-weather facility of its type.

Safety in the Honda CR-Z

Vehicle Stability Assist

Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) is designed to assist the driver in maintaining control during cornering, acceleration and sudden manoeuvres by applying braking assistance to any of the wheels as necessary and modulating the engine torque output as required.

Braking

14" ventilated front and solid rear disc brakes ensure road stability, which is further enhanced by the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).

Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE)

Developed in the car-to-car crash testing facility at Tochigi, the Advanced Compatibility EngineeringTM (ACETM) body structure is now a well-established strength of Honda's safety credentials.

The ACETM body structure is a Honda exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal collisions. The ACE design utilises a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment and can help to more evenly disperse the forces transferred to other vehicles in a crash.

Pedestrian Protection

The CR-Z also incorporates many features designed with pedestrian-protection in mind. Research has shown that these features can dramatically improve a pedestrian's chance of survival if struck by a moving vehicle. Features include windscreen wiper pivots designed to break away on impact, energy absorbing front wing mounts and bonnet hinges, as well as an unobstructed area beneath the bonnet allowing greater space for deformation.

Airbags and Seatbelts

On all models the driver and passenger Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) front and side airbags are complemented by full length curtain airbags to protect all occupants. There are three-point Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) seatbelts in all seating positions, the front seatbelts also have 2 stage Energy Absorption (EA) load limiting pretensioners. Additionally in the rear ISOFIX points ensure secure and correct installation mounting of child seats.

Active headrests

The CR-Z is equipped with front seat active headrests which reduce the likelihood of neck injury in rear impacts. As the occupant is pushed against the seat back, a rigid plate in the seat presses a link to the headrest pushing it up and forward to support the head.

About the CR-Z

The Honda CR-Z is a unique new car, combining the advantages of a clean, efficient petrol electric hybrid powertrain with a 6-speed manual transmission and a stylish coupe body.

The CR-Z is the first car to combine a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine and the IMA system, giving excellent fuel economy and great emphasis on driver enjoyment. The CR-Z emits just 117 g/km of CO₂ on the EU test cycle and consumes just 5.0 l/100km of fuel.

Three Mode Drive System

The CR-Z has been designed to be a car that combines driver enjoyment with excellent urban driving performance and economy. Honda's engineers have developed the 3-Mode Drive System for the CR-Z, which allows the driver to alter the characteristics of the car depending on their needs and the environment the car is being driven in. By significantly altering the responses of the car, the CR-Z's new system allows drivers to adapt to different road and traffic situations.

The new feature enables the driver to choose between three driving modes which alter the responses of the throttle, steering, climate control, Idle Stop function and the level of assistance provided by the IMA system. In developing this new facility, Honda allows the driver to decide whether they wish to maximise sportiness, economy or the best balance between the two.

SPORT Mode

When the CR-Z driver is away from the town or city and wanting to enjoy the open road, they can put the car into SPORT mode. This sharpens the throttle response, changes the behaviour of the IMA hybrid system to provide more electric motor assistance and increases the weight of the electric power steering.

ECON Mode

ECON mode prioritises fuel economy in the operation of the drive-by-wire throttle, ECU, air conditioning and the hybrid system. For those times when spirited driving is not possible or desirable, the Eco Assist function, in conjunction with the ECON mode, allows the driver to enjoy beating their best economy score on the way to work, or in heavy traffic.The ECON mode reduces the sensitivity of the throttle to smooth out inputs and this action is assisted by the use of a different engine map that prioritises fuel economy. The use of the motor to assist the petrol engine is redefined with the priority given to improve fuel economy, not assist performance.The climate control system is also influenced by the ECON mode, by recirculating air and reducing compressor operation in order to reduce energy consumption. In this mode the Idle Stop parameters are dramatically increased which extends the time spent with the engine off.

NORMAL Mode

At all times the car can be run in NORMAL mode, which provides a balance between performance, economy and emissions and suits most driving situations.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.eu/en/news/index.pmode/modul,detail,0,1556-DEFAULT,21,text,1/index.pmode

TOV Member Survives Crash, Testifies to Honda's Safety for Everyone

Wow, I found this on temple of vtec, where one of their readers was in a hit and run from behind by a Ford F150 and thankfully survived. Here are a few pic's, make sure you follow the link for more....
"Last Thursday I was driving home from Thanksgiving dinner and was hit from behind on the interstate by a truck traveling in excess of 100mph. I was going about 74 from what I remember. I wanted to share these pictures with you of the wreck. I flipped over 4 times according to police. The first officer arriving on scene warned other emergency personnel arriving that it was most likely a fatality wreck. Little did he know I was crawling out through the back window. I am not sure if you wanted to share this with other members of TOV who share the same passion you and I do about Honda. This is a testament to their safety and the ACE Body Structure. I walked away from this with a few minor bruises on my head and side. It is simply a miracle that I am still alive, not to mention the lack of injuries. Attached are pictures taken at the scene by police as well as pictures of the damage, which hardly do it justice. In addition, there is a picture of me in the hospital less than 30 minutes after the wreck giving thumbs up to Honda. "

Link;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=802711

2009 Honda Pilot Earns Highest Possible Safety Ratings

09/25/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. -
The all-new 2009 Honda Pilot has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) best-possible crash safety rating1 of 5 stars for both frontal and side impact performance, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. NHTSA's top rating and the prestigious GOOD (the best possible) rating in IIHS Frontal Offset, Side Impact and Rear Crash Protection tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) highlight Honda's leadership in safety technology and occupant protection for all passengers.

"Honda is honored to earn both of these prestigious awards," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The fact that we are the only full-line automaker that has the highest possible frontal and side impact ratings for every light truck in our lineup shows our clear leadership in the industry and commitment to safety at every level."

Every new Honda light truck, five vehicles total, has achieved NHTSA 5-star frontal and side impact crash safety ratings since the 2007 model year. Honda is the only full-line brand to ever achieve the highest-possible side and frontal impact crash safety ratings for every light truck in its entire lineup. All 2009 Pilots include the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure in the front of the vehicle that helps to further enhance occupant protection in frontal collisions between vehicles of different sizes.

The 2009 Pilot's standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®), commonly referred to as electronic stability control, with traction control and ABS; three-row side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor; dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; a driver's front side airbag, and a front passenger's side airbag with an occupant position detection system. The Pilot is equipped with four Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) positions - more than any other SUV currently in the segment.

Honda's complete line of 5-Star crash safety rated light trucks includes the 2009 Pilot, the 2008 Honda CR-V, the 2008 Honda Element, the 2008 Honda Odyssey, and the 2008 Honda Ridgeline.

For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.

1Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs).

Honda offers quicker, safer inflating air bag

TOKYO — Honda has developed an air bag that inflates quicker and reduces the impact of a crash, the Japanese automaker said Thursday.

Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. said its new air bag is the world's first that inflates in stages, mitigating the force of its deployment.

The new air bag will be introduced in the Life minicar, which goes on sale in Japan in November. Overseas sales plans are undecided as regulations vary, especially for the U.S., said senior manager Koichi Kamiji.

Europe may get the air bag as early as next year, he said.

The new air bag inflates to a safe size in 0.015 seconds. Current air bags take 0.030 seconds, according to Honda.

Honda also unveiled a camera system that shows blind-spots for the driver on a car-navigation monitor.

The system, which uses cameras in the front, sides and rear of a vehicle, will be offered in the Odyssey minivan, set to go on sale next month in Japan. Overseas plans are undecided.

Nissan Motor Co. already offers a similar system.