For years, the concept that small cars weren’t as safe as big cars echoed in the minds of consumers and rippled down the hallways of the automotive industry. Advances in technology, methods of manufacturing both steel and other metals for strength and lightweight durability, and structural design have made small cars just as safe, if not safer than some of their larger counterparts. Consider the smart fortwo.
The central engineering aspect of the smart fortwo is the tridion safety cell, or its crash box. Two steel bumpers, one in the front and one in the rear, are bolted to the safety cell’s length-wise beams using slip tubes. In case of minor collisions, these slip tubes can be replaced at very little cost. That means that those little bumps and nudges in the parking lot at the mall (any impact under two miles an hour) will not affect the crash box at all. At less than 10 miles an hour, the slip tubes do their job and keep the impact energy from the tridion safety cell (more on this later), and over 10 miles an hour, the safety cell absorbs and disperses energy to protect the occupants. In case of a rear impact, the crash box made of steel acts as a crumple zone. Should an impact exceed what is considered severe, another bit of smart fortwo engineering kicks in. The fuel supply is automatically shut off to the engine, and the central locking system is unlocked.
Both design and engineering work together in the tridion safety cell. The egg-shaped steel cage not only gives the smart fortwo its unique shape, but also provides its occupants a strong perimeter of protection. Much of this safety shell shows through to the outside of the car. Design, engineering and a good dose of common sense come into play with the rest of the car. It’s made up of recyclable, replaceable body panels that are so easy to remove, smart fortwo owners can change the color of their cars should they tire of the current color scheme.
The smart fortwo is tall and what could be called stubby, and, believe it or not, both work to make the car safer. The 71.3-inch wheelbase means that, in case of a side impact, the chances are that most of the energy will be absorbed by either the longitudinal beams or the axles. Each door is equipped with a side brace as well.
Should any such impact occur, smart fortwo models are equipped with a rather sophisticated seatbelt system. Belt tension sensors react in milliseconds to reduce slack, but also trigger a belt force limiter that will monitor the pressure on the chest and control the amount of tension applied by the belt before it becomes too great.
An alphabet-soup of additional standard safety features also offer smart passenger protection. ABS (Antilock Braking System) and CBC (Cornering Brake Control) help avoid swerving during braking while ASC (Acceleration Skid Control) and ETC (Engine Torque Control) allow better traction on slippery surfaces. In addition, HSA (Hill Start Assist) helps to hold the car in place on incline starts.
All in all, pound for pound and inch for inch, the smart fortwo will get you where you want to go in style and safety.
