2007 MINI Pedestrian Protection Analysis

Go Hokies!! :)

Nice, although I knew most of it already, I did pick up a few small bits and bobs here and there (I’m actually surprised the number of pedestrian casualties is so low here in the Netherlands, while the streets are pretty crowded; maybe it’s because a big percentage of traffic is bicycles and they don’t count for these numbers). One small error:

Alex Issigonis

Though it is short for Alexander, the usual abreviation is “Alec”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Issigonis

Excellant, Gabe. Thanks for the information. Great job digging it up and posting it.

However depressing it is to have “Big Brother” designing our cars.

Thanks for the research and post Kennnedy – I’ve been wondering what was the story behind these regs. As Americans, I suppose we can take great pride in knowing that as a country, we’ve drastically lowered pedestrian injuries and fatalities by keeping ourselves off our feet and streets, safely ensconced in stylish, shiney metal crumple zones.

“Thanks for the research and post Kennnedy – I’ve been wondering what was the story behind these regs. As Americans, I suppose we can take great pride in knowing that as a country, we’ve drastically lowered pedestrian injuries and fatalities by keeping ourselves off our feet and streets, safely ensconced in stylish, shiney metal crumple zones.”

Yes, and we can also take pride in having become a country with almost no “real” daily human interaction whatsoever.

I live part of the year in Italy and part in the US, and when I’m in the US, i definetely feel like I’m losing an essential part of living, that of enjoying a good walk outside.

One of the best-written articles on this site.

Some people around here might be willing to pay $500 extra for an active hood if it meant keeping the original design.

Of course by 2020, the European Enhanced Vehicle Committee (EEVC) will require the Active Pedestrian Plucking System (APPS). The APPS will sense an impending pedestrian crash and deploy a mechanical arm which will pluck the pedestrian off the ground, move the person to the side of the vehicle, and gently rest the person on the ground after sensing which side of the vehicle it is safe to do so.

It is estimated that the APPS will add only another 3.25 inches to the front overhang of the MINI, but could be ordered in chrome or with checkers.

Chad I ,didn’t find the caution you speak of in Holland, not at all. I observed many many, what I would call, close calls there but it didn’t seem to phase anyone. My bike ridding there was very uneasy.

James, that’s funny! APPS, Funny!

Some people around here might be willing to pay $500 extra for an active hood if it meant keeping the original design

I would have too. As this becomes a more mainstream technology, the prices will go down and more and more cars will use it… and the designers will be happy, and the safety advocates will be satisfied, and the cars will look “right” again. Except for those new APPSs, that someone saw suggested on a website about MINIs :)

I would also wonder if the added room between the hood and the engine would actually lessen the damage done in light-to-moderate non-pedestrian impacts

I wouldn’t expect that it would be an appreciable difference, although certainly having more room to deflect will help to dissipate energy (that’s why it works to reduce pedestrian injuries). But there’s pretty big difference in the energy of a collision between a car vs. pedestrian and the energy of a collision between a car vs. another car or fixed object. In terms of a pedestrian collision the difference may be noticeable while in an actual crash the difference may be negligible.

Bottom line…..I think it is just another case of namby pamby legislators with nothing better to do

It all seems like false cause to me. Has there been any sort of investigation or follow-through as to determining the actual underlying causes of pedestrian impacts – cross walk signals, blind corners, traffic light timing, blindness, etc. Rather than ask, “How can we lessen the impact of a car striking a pedestrian?” why not first ask, “Why are pedestrians getting hit by cars at all?” It seems to me that addressing those root causes would be more effective in actually preventing deaths than redesigning the noses of vehicles. Most places – here in the states at least – when trains are hitting cars at a particular intersection, crossing barriers are usually installed – rather than strapping mattresses to the fronts of locomotives. In most cases, the car getting hit by the train is being driven by someone who made the very stupid decision to try to beat the train across the tracks. It sounds cold, but I wonder if the majority of pedestrian impact fatalities are likewise more an issue “natural selection” than car design.

Excellent overview! Nothing more to say – Eric says it all. Best posting for the year.

         BCNU,
        Rob in Dago

I agree…very interesting read. In a way I lament that Mini/MINI enthusiasts often come off as so small-minded (I’m not saying we really are) that we cannot imagine “our” car changing, or that it should not change…at all…ever!! When it comes to MINIs, I think it helps to remember Mini’s solid utilitarian roots. In light of this, changes made to meet real-world requirement (any…safety or otherwise) are easier to take in stride. “Correct” Mini/MINI style is a very subjective thing. In any case, imagine…MINI could have wound up embracing the early “Spiritual” concept!!! I know…scary!!!

didn’t paul mcartneys exwife lose a piece of her leg by a passing motorcycle in UK/europe?

too many regs if you ask me. its amazing we made it to the 21st century….

Eric, Thanks for an excellent article that answered a lot of my questions about this legislation. One question that I have is does this also apply to light trucks sold in the U.S.? I’m constantly amazed by the high bumper height and rigidly mounted brush gaurds that are allowed on trucks and SUVs sold here in America.

One question that I have is does this also apply to light trucks sold in the U.S.?

Actually, it doesn’t apply to any vehicles in the US at all (at present). Essentially, we are inheriting the “pedestrian” designs because it is legislated in the European market. As for how it would be phased in, if the US were to adopt such standards, I am not exactly sure. Often times, the legislation affects passenger cars first, then light trucks. However, light trucks are clearly more dangerous to pedestrians, by a factor of 2-3 times, so who knows?

I’m constantly amazed by the high bumper height and rigidly mounted brush gaurds that are allowed on trucks and SUVs sold here in America.

Yeah, I still don’t get the brush guards unless you’re on the Rubicon trail.

Big Jerk,

You’re a real BIG JERK. How can you say such horrible things?

I hope you wind up squished in the grill of a Hummer!

I’m generally opposed to legislating this particular kind of pedestrian safety into cars, even though traffic safety has been an avocation of mine for more than 35 years. As one reply so cogently pointed out, this is addressing the symptoms, not the cause. Clearly, if pedestrian fatalities are so low in some European countries and in the USA, but high in other European countries, changing the cars is not going to help much. Moreover, raising the hood on cars is shooting ourselves in the foot with respect to fuel economy, since doing so will also raise the drag coefficient and possibly the frontal area.

Yes, it’s true that traffic fatalities have continuously dropped over the years in most countries worldwide (but not “logarithmically” as one response said), and most of that is a result of safer cars and safer roads. But we’ve reached the point of diminishing returns on technology. We really need to go after the “wet-ware” between the seat and the steering wheel; the qualify of drivers needs to be greatly improved. All it takes is the political gumption to do it.

Anyone happen to remember a movie by the name of “Death race 2000″? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Race_2000 The story goes that in the year 2000 (25 years in the future at the time) a transcontinental race is held where points are awarded for killing pedestrians. The point system appears to be as follows:

Male adult: 20 Male teenager: 40 Male infant/toddler: 70 Female (any age): 10 more than men in any age bracket Senior citizen (regardless of gender): 100

But seriously, why are the pedestrian fatalities higher in Europe? Well, as a long time resident of England (born and raised) I feel I might be able to shed a little light on the topic.

First – Europeans, unlike Americans, still have use of their lower extremities and use them to get around. This appears to have the beneficial side effect of reducing morbid obesity, a primary reason why Americans no longer have use of their power extremities (yes, a very circular argument indeed)

Second – Jaywalking? Say what?! Never heard of that. What’s it mean?? You mean to say I can’t cross the road anywhere I please, even when the footpath is separated from the road by metal railings? Nonsense! Well, you get the picture – Europeans cross the road wherever they damned well please – after all, pedestrians were here long before the automobile. Frankly – someone should bring back the “red flag act” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotive_Act)

Third – When I get behind the wheel of my car I own the road! If you think every Englishman’s house is his castle . . . Well that goes double for cars. When it comes to cars, every Englishman, Frenchman and Italian’s car is his battle tank – and the German’s – well let’s not go there.

Only the Dutch seem to fail to comply with these European stereotypes – and look where that’s got them!

Well, there you have it,

Harrumph