Edison2's Very Light Car ("VLC") is, by its very definition, a lightweight car. Weighing in at 830lbs, the four-passenger vehicle is absolutely puny when compared to contemporary autos with an average weight of 3221lbs.
While the VLC remains a featherweight on the road, its design makes it remarkably safe despite its slight frame.
Malcolm Gladwell penned a piece for the New Yorker about automotive safety, Big and Bad. Continuing his theme that statistical research often reveals counter-intuitive results, Gladwell found that while consumers believed heavier vehicles made them safer, the opposite was actually true.
For large cars, fundamental physics are their undoing when it comes to safety. As the frame rises higher above the roadway, cars can lose mobility and become unwieldy, particularly in situations where quick reactions were key. What's more, heavier cars are harder to stop, which results in more and higher speed crashes.
While recent improvements in large vehicles have made them much safer and less likely to be the cause of catastrophic accidents, the largest cars are still being left off the IIHS's Top Safety Pick lists. In fact according to the IIHS's 2014 safety report no car above the groups "midsize SUV" category was named as either a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+.
In contrast to the large vehicle mentality, Edison2's engineers have taken a completely different approach. When it comes to vehicle safety, Edison2's design created an elegant solution that preserved the VLC's light weight while making it extremely safe.
Built around a diamond shaped frame, the VLC borrows from NASCAR and other racing traditions to keep its passengers safe by enveloping them in a strong steel cage. While the frame and cage can protect the VLC's passengers from being crushed, the car's diamond shape deflects the VLC away from a crash, making most impacts indirect. This dramatically reduces the chance of major injury. In the event of a more serious collision, the VLC's frame also features collapsible space that can crumple to absorb much of the force.
One of the best ways to ensure that a car and its passengers remain safe is to give drivers responsive handling. Having a car with an advanced suspension system, immediate steering response and less weigh to shift around is just as key to preventing fatalities as any frame design.
According to Brad Jaeger, Engineer at Edison2, "With careful design, a low-mass car can be safe even in this era of heavy, feature-laden cars. But Edison2 sees a future in which all cars, for reasons of economy and environmental sustainability, become lighter and sleeker, and automotive safety is dramatically improved."
Throughout the VLC's development process, Siemens' Solid Edge monthly subscription software has been critical to the project's success. Never was that more evident than in the creation of the VLC's frame. By being able to create and easily manipulate a design that could be sent to the shop with a moment's notice, the Edison2 team was able to quickly iterate and build safety into this cutting edge car.
In the end, no matter how well your car is built, the best measure of safety is always a focused driver in complete control of his or her car. When external events cause that system to break down, it's good to know that engineers have pushed the limits to design safety into the vehicle's handling and frame.
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Read More About Edison2's VLC:
Designing and X-Prize Winning Car
The VLC's Breakthrough Aerodynamics
Note: Siemens has sponsored promotion of their design software solutions on ENGINEERING.com. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine.
Kyle Maxey
Images Courtesy of Edison2