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mkiker2089

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https://www.nhtsa.gov/ratings

I’ve been thinking about the 5 star crash rating, like what are the parameters and how is it calculated.

5 stars means less once you know what it is. Part of the numbers are based on costs of replacement parts. That's why expensive cars had a harder time in the past. There is a trend however of moving away from repairs and treating all cars as disposable. That trend started in the 80s but now it's almost full tilt. The inclusion of expensive and destructive air bags as well as crumple zones and break away engine mounts makes it hard to fix cars that have been even in minor bump ups.
 

ElioWallSteet

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5 stars means less once you know what it is. Part of the numbers are based on costs of replacement parts. That's why expensive cars had a harder time in the past. There is a trend however of moving away from repairs and treating all cars as disposable. That trend started in the 80s but now it's almost full tilt. The inclusion of expensive and destructive air bags as well as crumple zones and break away engine mounts makes it hard to fix cars that have been even in minor bump ups.

Here’s an article that will add a bit more clarity to the definition of the current 5-star safety rating standards...

As most are aware of...the Elio will never meet these standards...but it’s definitely safer than a conventional motorcycle...

Obviously Paul misspoke when he initially promised a five star safety rating for the Elio vehicle...

https://www.motor1.com/features/225564/new-car-crash-test-ratings/amp/
 

mkiker2089

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Here’s an article that will add a bit more clarity to the definition of the current 5-star safety rating standards...

As most are aware of...the Elio will never meet these standards...but it’s definitely safer than a conventional motorcycle...

Obviously Paul misspoke when he initially promised a five star safety rating for the Elio vehicle...

https://www.motor1.com/features/225564/new-car-crash-test-ratings/amp/
Would it be overly optimistic to think he meant 5 star by motorcycle standards? I think it might.

That said most of us (I hope anyway) know that this thing has three wheels for one reason and one reason alone. It is NOT a car and thus can be pretty much slapped together. I accept that and still want it but we need to be honest and frank about.
 

Coss

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I don't believe EM ever wanted to be "slapped together" but they are working to provide a safe mode of transportation.
They don't want a "Corvair" on 3 wheels, they want to offer a vehicle that you can feel safe driving.
A bad rating can kill the company faster then anything else; they want you to feel safe behind the wheel, and that's why they came out with the 5-star rating in the first place. The Elio is a lot safer then any motorcycle, and that's part of what they will fight the whole time it's on the rode.
Think about it, the first time there's a wreck, the news will be all over it, and it dam well better hold up, otherwise don't buy it if you don't feel good behind the wheel. How many time's in the past did cars get a bad rap because they were crash magnets. No one will ever want anything to do with it if it isn't safer then a motorcycle. Most people now still believe bikes are deathtraps, we don't want the Elio to be compared to a regular bike, it's safety that will sell this vehicle, along with great gas mileage, and a unique way to travel.
 

mkiker2089

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True, I overstated it when I said slapped together. The fact that three wheelers have less red tape is perhaps a better explanation.

I wish we had common sense regulation like in Japan and some European countries to allow micro-cars with 4 wheels to be classified the same as our "autocycles."

The Mazda Autozam would be great here but our legislation just looks at the number of wheels and says no-way.

124_Mazda_Autozam_AZ1_PG6SA_96136.jpeg
 

Coss

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I don't think it's the number of wheels so much as overall safety, can you imaging getting hit by a Suburban while you were driving it? Or just any other full size American or German car, you would be toast, and in this sue happy society Mazda would be responsible, I don't think they want that many lawsuits floating around.
America has a whole different attitude towards not wanting to take responsibility for their actions, they have this "who can I blame for this accident?" Japan doesn't have its courts booked with these crazy lawsuits like we have; you were operating the vehicle? Then it's your fault. That would never work here, people have to point blame at someone other then themselves, no matter how wrong they are; it's always someone else's fault no matter how stupid you were.
Change our laws, and you can have unsafe cars. That would never work here.
 

Rob Croson

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5 star safety ratings have changed in the past two or three years. They have started adding in things like autobraking, crash avoidance, pedestrian warnings, and a bigger focus on headlights. Specifically: how much glare your headlights throw at oncoming vehicles. Without a lot of automated warnings and expensive electronics, the Elio could not make a 5-star rating, even if it could run the tests.

But we already know that the Elio can't even be tested, due to the lack of side-by-side seating.
 

Ty

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5 star safety ratings have changed in the past two or three years. They have started adding in things like autobraking, crash avoidance, pedestrian warnings, and a bigger focus on headlights. Specifically: how much glare your headlights throw at oncoming vehicles. Without a lot of automated warnings and expensive electronics, the Elio could not make a 5-star rating, even if it could run the tests.

But we already know that the Elio can't even be tested, due to the lack of side-by-side seating.
25% offset, frontal, and side impact tests can be run on the Elio. I didn't see where or why you have to have a side by side configuration to run them. Perhaps they run the tests for driver position and rear occupant for the Elio. They could surely determine the impact forces.

I may not have been looking close enough at the tests but Elio could have an outside testing agency test their vehicle to the same standards. True, the 25% frontal would give interesting results. Hey, would the Elio deflect enough to make the driver actually safer? Hmm...
 

larryboy

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25% offset, frontal, and side impact tests can be run on the Elio. I didn't see where or why you have to have a side by side configuration to run them. Perhaps they run the tests for driver position and rear occupant for the Elio. They could surely determine the impact forces.

I may not have been looking close enough at the tests but Elio could have an outside testing agency test their vehicle to the same standards. True, the 25% frontal would give interesting results. Hey, would the Elio deflect enough to make the driver actually safer? Hmm...

The 25% impact would shear off the front wheel and probably do little other damage. Might even leave a repairable Elio. I do wonder if the aftermath of the crash might involve the Elio veering in the direction of the missing wheel and then going into the other lane and getting a head on hit.
 
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