New Saab 9-5 In-House Crash Test

The reengineered Saab 9-5 is expected to keep the Swedish brand alive and help it relaunch under the ownership of Spyker Cars, and vehicle safety is one of its strengths. Safety enhancements are also featured in the new 9-5, which has achieved a maximum five-star EuroNCAP rating.

Aside from the comprehensive range of occupant safety systems already installed in Saab cars, the new 9-5 includes upgraded third generation Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR 3) as standard for the front seats and adds rear side airbags, together with pre-tensioning of the outer rear seatbelts, as an optional package.

Safety is also improved by functions such as Bi-Xenon Smart Beam, TSR/LDW, Pilot HUD and adaptive cruise control. ESC and rear LED brake lights are also fitted as standard across the range.

According to the manufacturer, crash testing and computer simulations are based on what happens in real collisions on real roads.

The specialists at Saab use the findings of a database covering more than 6,100 real-life accidents involving Saab cars on Swedish roads. “Saab safety engineers are always aware that their ultimate goal is protecting real people, not only dummies in laboratory crash tests,” a company statement reads.

Therefore, in addition to the legally required tests, the structural design of the car, and the operation of its safety systems, are evaluated through a large number of in-house crash tests. The results are reflected in surveys of real-life collisions by the US Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and the Swedish Folksam insurance company.

A video showing how in-house crash testing are conducted at Saab has been recently launched by the manufacturer and can be watched below: