Focus on safety in side-impact testing of Scania's new city bus

Focus on safety in side-impact testing of Scania's new city bus Scania's proactive approach to the improvement of passenger and crash safety received positive affirmation the instant that a car travelling at 40 km/h hit the side of one of Scania's new city buses on the company's test track. The model in question was the OmniCity, one of Scania's new generation of low-floor buses - and it passed the test with flying col- ours. "This type of testing is fully in keeping with our safety policy," ex- plains Bengt Klingberg, Technical Director of Scania Buses & Coaches. "Among other things, the policy states that Scania must be a motivating force in accident-prevention vehicle technology and that safety considera- tions shall be an integral part of all development work." As a recognised leader among the world's vehicle manufacturers in the field of safety, Scania performed the test to validate its safety work, as well as the passenger and crash safety calculations carried out as part of the development of its OmniCity low-floor city bus. In the absence of a comparable European standard, the test was carried out in accordance with the provisions of the US Standard Bus Procurement Guidelines. A car (in this case, a Saab 9-5) was driven at 40 km/h straight into the side of the bus. The standard specifies that penetration of the bus by the car under these conditions must not exceed 75 mm. This was achieved by a comfortable margin. The car also survived the test well, with the passenger compartment fully intact after the crash. The side-impact protection of the bus is located at a height such that the car impacts it at bumper height and the car's crumple zone is used to the full. "Authentic crash tests like this verify our design calculations and also build up a bank of experience for future generations of Scania buses," concludes Bengt Klingberg. "All with the focus on safety." The OmniCity has already passed the rollover test specified in European tourist coach regulations (ECE R66), which stipulate that deformation of the body caused by overturning must not invade a defined survival space. For further information, please contact Gunnar Boman, on telephone number +46 (0)70-550 8606. Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. With 25,800 employees and production facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the most profitable companies in its sector. In 1999, turnover totalled SEK 47,100 million and the result after financial items was SEK 4,500 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and some 95 percent of Scania's vehicles are sold outside Swe- den.Bus manufacture takes place in Sweden, Brazil, Denmark, Poland and Mexico. Scania press releases are available on the Internet, www.scania.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/09/22/20000922BIT00060/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/09/22/20000922BIT00060/bit0002.pdf