The model entered production last week in Europe, but before it was green-lighted for that, it had to pass some rigorous systems and behavior checks. Those checks included crashing the model no less than 12,000 times, both into the real and into the virtual wall.
“Developing the Focus to meet the global safety standards has resulted in improved crash performance to help protect occupants in crashes,” said Matt Niesluchowski, Focus safety manager.
“Ford’s safety team had a head start in working together around the world, which helped tremendously in ensuring the new Focus meets or exceeds a complex web of global safety regulations.”
Those tests led to the creation or improvements brought to new safety systems, including front passenger airbags with adaptive venting technology, driver-front airbag with enhanced chest protection, enhanced crash protection with a B-pillar reinforcement and so on.
The new Focus is already fitted with a wide range of safety systems which start with the dvanceTrac with Electronic Stability Control and ending with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system.
“We are using more computer simulations than ever to optimize the designs of all the components that make up a vehicle to help enhance safety,” Niesluchowski added. “The complexity of crash tests, with hundreds of parts and systems interacting, still requires physical testing to validate those simulation results.”
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