Tests May Clear Bull Bar Use When Airbags Installed
The Age
Tuesday April 25, 1995
FEDERAL and state governments are not far from deciding what action if any needs to be taken on bull bars to make them more user- friendly without banning them altogether. This comes on the heels of new research which seems to put to rest fears that the bars may confuse airbag triggering systems and/or compromise the new crash safety regulations to come into force on 1 July.
At the same time, makers are introducing new plastic bars on cars for the European market, following the British Government's announcement it is considering banning steel bars. However, it must wait for the European Union to rubber-stamp the draft safety standard that has just been finalised by its Experimental Vehicles Committee.
The bull bar on the Toyota Hi-Lux two-wheel-drive utility pictured is typical of one of the three types of bars tested in Australia by computer modelling to measure the effect on airbag deployment. There has been a lot of confusion, particularly among country dealers and buyers, over whether bars can be fitted to Commodores and Falcons without compromising the airbags. Holden even went to the extent of creating a ``roo dummy" to help it design an approved bar. The research was also important because the new Australian Design Rule (ADR 69) from 1 July sets new standards of occupant injury protection in frontal crashes).
(The Hilux, incidentally, is owned by The Daily Advertiser in Wagga and racks-up phenomenal mileage delivering papers or used as a hack by reporters and photographers. Bought new 18 months ago, it has covered 240,000 kilometres, or 10 times the annual average mileage of the normal Australian vehicle. Running the 2.8-litre diesel with five- speed manual, it leaves Wagga most days at 2am with up to a tonne of bundled papers, yet it consistently returns fuel consumption of 10.6 litres/100 kilometres 30 mpg in the old money.) The Australian bull bar tests were done by the joint vehicle safety research group of RMIT and Monash University, and the school of engineering at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane.
The Melbourne group used computer modelling of a typical sedan in a 48 kmh frontal barrier test, compared with the crash pulses from actual barrier tests with eight different cars from the same weight category.
The question being asked was that as the front sheet metal of a passenger car sends the milli-seconds of a signal to the airbag computer, would a bull bar absorbing the initial impact tell it lies.
Because in a crash an airbag will deploy and start deflating in a period shorter than an eye blink, the ``crash pulse" generated by the front of the car is all important.
The tests used three different types of bars, ranging from lightweight ``city" bars to the full-on outback type (as on the Wagga Advertiser ute) that replaces the original bumper. The report says the simulation confirmed the connection of the bar with the car structure was vital. ``A properly designed connection can result in negligible effect of the bull bar attachment on the crash pulse."
The Queensland report was similar, adding that the bull bar very quickly ``becomes dissociated with overall crush resistance and becomes part of the front of the car". While Holden hasn't released full details of its Commodore tests, it's understood that 48 kmh barrier and pole crash tests didn't affect the airbag at all.
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) meets with federal and state regulatory bodies on 1 May to present a set of technical papers it's had created by a specialist consultant to form the basis for a mandatory industry standard for bars. That will probably then be given the Australian Standards Association imprimatur, like child safety seats.
The next step for the car makers will be to approve only certain bars for fitting to their new cars. This will generally bind the dealers except those who stand to lose a sale if they don't agree to put the customer's old bar on the new car but it won't stop anyone buying a new vehicle and then either fitting the cheapest bar or being suckered into one that isn't kosher.
Until all the ducks get lined up in a row, the message is to stay away from badly designed bars that are wrongly mounted; stick with those from major makers like ARB and TJM. In short, stay away from backyard bars, and I don't mean the mate's barbecue.
Meanwhile, down the road a bit (sorry about that) there may well be a pedestrian airbag. Toyota in Japan is chucking cars at standing test dummies to evaluate an airbag that explodes out of the centre of the bonnet to stop pedestrians hitting their heads on bonnet or windscreen.
It's early days yet, but I've seen sequential photographs of a dummy wipeout with a Toyota Majesta and it looks as though it does the job.
Look for the Japanese car makers to do some chest beating with safety innovations at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, conveniently ignoring the fact they've dragged their heels on it for a decade or more.
And Australians will soon be able to buy after-market sports steering wheels with airbag systems. The innovative Australian accessory maker SAAS will celebrate its 40th year in business by releasing Australia's first accessory airbag wheel, which means for starters that Holden Special Vehicles can replace the standard Commodore steering wheels with their usual SAAS leather-trimmed dress- ups that had to be dropped when airbags became standard.
SAAS was founded in 1955 by Czechoslovakian migrant Miles Friedrich in a small St Kilda workshop. Its present Braeside factory complex is able to produce 50,000 steering wheels and 7000 seats a year, and it's now the only Australian maker of accessory sports steering wheels, exporting to Europe, Japan, the Middle East and South-East Asia.
Over those 40 years the company has outlived more than 70 imported rival brands, according to SAAS managing director Terry Mahoney.
``When I took over SAAS in 1975 our steering wheel range fitted just 60 models . . . . today we can fit more than 500. I guess the other high point for me is our marketing arrangement with Italian steering wheel manufacturer, Selm, where we sell their product here and they sell ours in Italy, the home of sports steering wheels."
NO LIMIT.
WE'RE going to see a lot more ``limited editions" being trumpeted into the new car showrooms as Japanese import prices rise under the pressure of yen inflation and private buyers continue to drift back into zipped-wallet mode. The motor industry is watching its prediction of a softening of the market by mid-year come true sooner rather than later.
Mitsubishi, for instance, is using the 10th anniversary of the Magna this month as a flimsy excuse to release a ``limited production" model badged Advance. This is the V6-engined Executive with ABS brakes, driver airbag, air conditioning, cruise control, the analogue clock from the Verada and a better sound system. Prices start at $29,684 in an obvious tilt at Holden's well-equipped Commodore Acclaim, which dominates this price bracket.
Nissan has just launched a limited-edition ``Walkabout" version of its Pathfinder, to follow similar treatment tried on with the bigger Patrol. The mid-sized four-wheel-drive wagon gets about $3000 worth of extra stuff at no cost.
The goodies include an Engel car fridge in the rear luggage area, driving lights, alloy side steps, grey steel ``nudge bar" (the bull bar you have when you're not having a bull bar) and floor mats with a Walkabout logo. The fridge has been integrated into the rear together with the spare wheel, which has been moved indoors.
Nissan says that, like the Patrol Walkabout, the Pathfinder special has been ``specified to cater for those with a taste for the outdoors". Those ``stylish carpet floor mats" should do well in the mud on the Gunbarrel Highway.
And Daihatsu has stuck more value into the already good Charade package with a special called the Toscana, but has gone further than most. The Toscana comes as the three-door hatch but with choice of one-litre or 1.3-litre engines and in a new color called Peacock Blue, as well as the usual white.
The package includes an upgraded four-speaker stereo sound system, electric mirrors and special badging. The RRPs are $13,390 for the unbreakable fuel-sipping one-litre three-cylinder, and $14,690 for the 1.3.
AUDI VIDEO.
OTHER new releases: Audi importer Inchcape has put together a great double video package on the history of the famous Audi Quattro rally cars, and the 1994 German and Italian Touring Car Championships. It's worth the $39.95 if only for the classic footage of Walter Rohrl's ballet-like footwork on the pedals of the Quattro S1.
And Hema Maps has just finished a major revision of its two maps of the Cape York and Kimberley regions. These have been very popular with 4WD adventurers and other travellers. The new maps include locations of essential facilities and have been put together with a lot of input from the locals. They're $6.95 from good map shops.
© 1995 The Age
