Question

Modern cars are built to improve the likelihood of surviving a crash. Older cars were made of out steel. Modern cars are made from fiber glass and unibodies. Explain how exactly modern cars have decreased injuries and fatalities?

Answer 1

Modern day cars will destroy themselves to save you… While, Older cars will look fine but leave passengers dead. So how are things more safe like this? Because cars are built more strategically now. I can break it down into 2 reasons. Chassis type and Strength Gradient with a Crumple Zone

Chassis Type, Monocoque
Except trucks, almost all cars are wisely built from a monocoque chassis construction. This simply means the framing of the car is integrated with the actual body. So it’s sort of a one-piece chassis rather than framing with the body bolted on top of it. A chassis like this is more rigid, safer, and allows for creative techniques to be implemented.

Strength Gradient with a Crumple Zone
Along with this monocoque chassis, we have integrated a clever gradient to the strength of materials. This simply means the more ‘into the car’ you go, the more thick the metal you see. It starts off with aluminum, magnesium, & thin steel, wich are relatively less strong so when the car hits somethings it absorbs the impact and till it reaches the inner layer of the car, the impact of the collision reduces significantly, saving the passangers inside. Then inside, transitions into thicker and thicker steel. The final form of defense against the accident is the safety cage. This is done on purpose. The more exterior materials are made to crush on purpose in order to absorb some of the accident. This is called the ‘Crumple Zone’. This is the case until it gets to the safety cage. Once the accident reaches the safety cage, the ultra high strength steel says “hold it right there buddy” and now tries to NOT crush simply because things have gotten too close to the passengers.