Industry Background By Sovereign
Worldwide initiatives by governments have required vehicle manufacturers to progressively improve the safety standards in motor vehicles.
To protect vehicle occupants, multiple airbags in the occupant cell of vehicles in both the forward and side direction of travel and seatbelt tensioning systems are evolving and used to become the most effective to improve the safety rating of new vehicles. Progressive improvements are also achieved from the vehicle manufacturers in the structural design of the motor bodies. Electronic driver assist systems have been introduced to further make motor vehicles safer.
To improve the survival chances of occupants of vehicles involved in head-on collisions, impact absorbing “reinforcing beams” have been fitted behind the bumper covers to vehicles at matching heights.
The protection of pedestrians has also been a key global issue, leading to the development of a European Standard that calls for design changes that will reduce injuries to pedestrians involved in accidents with motor cars. Tests on “Vehicle Front Protection Systems” have lead to clear guidelines about the maximum accepted loads to Pedestrian Head and Leg impacts, with many vehicles modified with a traditional bull bars found to be more dangerous than unmodified vehicles.
In Australia, “reinforcement beams” and impact absorbing chassis ends are often removed on 4WD and Commercial vehicles and Bull-bars fitted as an alternative.
With the increasing use in vehicles of intricate electronic safety features and the complex nature of new vehicle structures, the development of a new generation of vehicle front protector is overdue. It is of great importance that vehicle accessories integrate with the genuine vehicle structure and its modern features.
Read more about the Evolution of the Bumper-Guard™.
