Honda Accord tops in EuroNCAP

The European version of the latest Honda Accord recently achieved top scores in the independent European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) crash test, with the first 3-star rating for pedestrian safety for the Large Family Car class.  Its overall performance was also tops with 5 stars for adult protection and 4 stars for child protection.

Computer-calculated arrangement of structural members at the front end is important element in ACE

Whiplash ratings (tested for the first time in EuroNCAP) for the front seats were 2.26/4. Whiplash is not uncommon in frontal and side impact accidents, but more often occurs in low speed, rear end collisions in urban environments. The condition, caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the spine, can lead to long painful symptoms over many weeks or even years, depending on the severity of the impact.

Progressively introduced throughout the Honda range, the Accord's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure provides significantly enhanced occupant protection in a variety of real-world crash conditions, which helped it gain the maximum score in the crash test. (ACE is also adopted in the body construction of the Accord sold in Malaysia).

A front-mounted polygonal main frame is designed to prevent cabin deformation by distributing forces through multiple major load bearing pathways - and away from the passenger compartment. This is particularly important where a frontal collision occurs between vehicles of differing heights, weights or frame construction.

To achieve top level, side impact safety, Honda's engineers have increased the side section of the frame and chosen different material specifications to provide the desired level of stiffness and strength for critical areas, without adding unnecessary weight.

The new Accord also incorporates many of the pedestrian-protection design features already familiar from recent Honda models, including windscreen wiper pivots designed to break away on impact, energy- absorbing front wing mounts and bonnet hinges alongside an unobstructed area beneath the bonnet allowing greater space for deformation.

Moment of impact during a side collision test

Complementing the many advanced passive safety features are active safety features such as VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) which is designed to assist the driver in maintaining control during cornering, acceleration and sudden manoeuvres by applying braking to the right or left hand wheels as necessary and modulating the engine torque output as required.

Optionally available in the European version is Honda's Advanced Driving Assist System, a suite of three ground-breaking technologies that raise safety to a new level. The first of these is the Lane Keeping Assist System which uses a camera to detect the car deviating from a traffic lane and provides steering torque when necessary, thereby reducing the burden of motorway driving while at the same time enhancing safety.

Adaptive Cruise Control uses a millimetre-wave radar to maintain a consistent distance to a vehicle directly in front, for more relaxed, less tiring driving: and Collision Mitigation Brake System monitors the following distance and closing rate between the Accord and the car directly in front of it, warning the driver when a collision is likely and helping reduce impact when a collision becomes unavoidable.

These systems complement the Accord's passive safety features which include front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters, dual stage front airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags, full length curtain airbags and ISOFIX fittings and tether anchor points for secure child seat fixture on all models. There are also front seat active headrests which are triggered when the occupant is pushed into the seat in the event of a rear impact, so causing a rigid plate to activate a link to the headrest which pushes it forward to support the head. (Note: Not all features mentioned in this article are available in the Malaysian version of the Accord at this time)

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