Passive Safety The safety concept of the Vectra-B is divided into three areas:
• Passive safety (structural measures)
• Passenger restraint system
• Active safety (driving properties)
The structural measures can only provide their full effect when used in the overall concept. Overall structure:
During development, attention was paid not only to the existing and planned European legislation, but also to internal standards that considerably exceed these requirements.
The basic consideration for occupant protection under various crash circumstances is a rigid occupant cell, which may only suffer minimal deformation if it is going to act as a survival area.
3.2.3 Passive Safety (continued) Floor area:
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Sill panel with large profile cross section for absorbing the high force generated when the wheels are forced inwards in frontal and rear end collisions, and for absorbing force in side collisions. |
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Tunnel with additional edge profiling to support the engine/transmission and front axle body, to reduce deformation of the footwell in frontal collisions. |
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Front frame extended to heel plate to support the high force generated by the front frame in frontal collisions. |
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The seat crossmember strengthens the underbody in side collisions and, together with the seat consoles on the tunnel and the sill panels, provides a stable support for absorbing the force affecting the seat fastening points via the occupants and the seat belt system in frontal collisions. |
3.2.3 Passive Safety (continued) Passenger compartment:
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Special reinforcements in the B pillars reduce the risk of penetration in side collisions. |
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The closed roof frame profile with reinforcements reduces deformation in the case of frontal, rear end and side collisions. |
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Door channel reinforcements stabilise the doors in the belt zone in frontal collisions. |
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Front and rear doors with steel bars which, together with the doors, locks and pillars, form a stable side section. |
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A new system crossmember (additional lateral connection between A pillars) increases the lateral stiffness and simultaneously acts as a holder for the steering column, which is thus decoupled from the windscreen crossmember. This type of fixture reduces the risk of steering penetration in frontal collisions. |
3.2.3 Passive Safety (continued) Front area:
In low speed accidents, the large dimension dual profile in the front area of the front frame functions as a crumple zone in front of the front bolting point on the front axle body.
At higher collision speeds, the deformation force is channelled from the front bolting point on the front axle body in three force paths:
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the main force path, the front frame |
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the upper force path, the wheel well strut connected to the A pillar and |
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the lower force path, via the bolted front axle body which is equipped at the front with two additional struts to attain an increased force level and optimal deformation characteristics. |
3.2.3 Passive Safety (continued) Rear structure:
Reinforcements in the lower rear end panel, tailgate/luggage compartment lid reduce the deformation in rear end collisions. The deformation of the spare wheel well in rear end collisions reduces the strain on the tank and rear seat area. Further passive safety measures are: Energy-absorbing foam padding on door inner panelling.
Cross struts integrated into the front seats to increase lateral stability.
In frontal collisions, the brake and clutch pedals are released from their bearings and do not offer resistance. This reduces the hazards to the driver's feet and legs - see corresponding section.
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