Whiplash protection: All systems are not equal
Staff -- Test & Measurement World, 8/1/2004
New crash test results presented recently by the Swedish National Road Administration (SNRA) and Folksam (a Swedish insurance company) show that some seats without active systems for whiplash protection can prevent whiplash injury in rear-end collisions, and that other seats with active systems are not protecting well.
In a continuation of a set of tests performed in 2003, Folksam and the SNRA tested 14 different seat models. They performed three different tests on each seat. Folksam reports that the seats offering the most protection were from Ford (C-Max), Volvo (S40), Nissan (Primera), and Saab (9-5). The seats in the Audi A3 (model year 2004) offered the least protection. (Folksam says that Audi is planning revisions for its 2005 model year.)
The full test results are available at www.vv.se/aktuellt/pressmed/2004/bild/rapport.pdf. The Swedish standard test method is described at www.vv.se/aktuellt/pressmed/2004/bild/testprotokoll_eng.pdf.
