| This contest is fueled by the following news: |
| | The Chevrolet Blazer, two door, manufactured by General Motors, has the highest driver death rate of any other passenger vehicle on the road in the United States. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has based the finding on an extensive study of passenger vehicles from the 1999 to the 2002 model years. The study itself focused on the rate of deaths of drivers in various types of vehicle crashes. The overall driver death rates for the 199 vehicles studied was 87 per million. The Chevy Blazer two door weighed in at three times the overall average rate with an average of 308 driver deaths per million. The Blazer also had the highest rate of deaths involving drivers in rollover accidents. That death rate was 251 per million.
Cars in history:
The automobile of the period of general prosperity:
In 1959, designs, patented (patent DBP 854157) by the company "Daimler-Benz" for increasing the safety of automobiles during accidents have undergone numerous tests for front impact. The accumulated experience has allowed putting into practice in 1965 the concept of the safe automobile in serial model "В111" by the company "Daimler-Benz". This step not only answered the fourth condition of a priority, but also marked the occurrence of new tendency in automobile engineering.
Other important innovation of company "Daimler-Benz" introduced during these years - system of direct injection of fuel. Company has started the serial production of vehicles with the engines having such power supply system in 1954. Supply of fuel was controlled by mechanical devices and was not completely perfect. It became famous after 45 years, when electronic devices were used for controlling the injection.
This example is the bright evidence to tell, how technical progress in one of the areas of engineering (in this case electronics) gives new life to progressive ideas in other areas. The similar case has taken place with development of a design of automobile headlights. Long-term researches of electric companies "Sibye" in France and "Phillips" in Holland have helped to create very powerful "halogen" (by using the vapors of halogen group elements) lights. The automobile headlights based on them with a powerful light stream since 1964 became famous first as the goods of 'after market' and then as the serial equipment.
Hydro-pneumatic suspension bracket of wheels ("Sitroen", 1956), V-belt infinite variator in transmission (DAF, 1958), the rotor-piston engine on serial automobile (HCU), the units of chassis, which do not require servicing during whole time operation of the automobile ("Cadillac" and "Craisler", 1966) were also served as important stages in evolution of automobile.
Book of American lawyer R.Neidera “Dangerous at any speed”, which made lot of noise in 1965, has riveted attention of public and also experts on a problem of safety. A logical result of this publication in 1966 - seat belts became the obligatory equipment for all American cars. Safety steering columns, a separate drive of brakes, headrests of seats were followed the seat belts.
The sixtieth years are marked with unprecedented scope of release of front drive automobiles. Layout decisions with the power unit located across a body (“Morris Mini”, 1959, "Autobyanki" 1964) began to be copied by many firms. Gradually the majority of the French, Italian, German, Japanese and American models have become front drive vehicles.
Original revolution in automobile engineering in middle of years 1960 - the beginning of 1970 has taken place under growing influence of electronics. German electronics company "Bosch" in 1967 has started methodical implementation of “Jetronics” system for controlling the fuel injection for serial models of different firms. Anti blocking system in a drive of brakes was implemented for automobiles "Mercedes-Benz" in 1970. The microprocessor automatically operated it. Microprocessor system was used for ignition on American vehicles "Oldsmobile" (“General Motors”) in 1976.
Production of automobiles in years 1960 has undergone through (first of all in USA and Japan) thorough reorganization. For assembly operations, robots, which function with electronic control systems, were used. Operations related to the submission of component parts of required type on to conveyor, welding and painting of bodies were also executed under the electronic control. |
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