- Mercedes has released the results of a unique crash test involving two moving cars.
- Traditional crash testing uses one moving car and one stationary model.
Mercedes-Benz has released the results of an unusual crash test. It involved two versions of its CLA compact car colliding at a 90-degree angle, both moving at about 35 mph.
One was a gas-powered shooting brake version not sold in the U.S. A shooting brake is a sporty wagon, often with just two doors, though the CLA shooting brake has four.
The other was an all-electric CLA with EQ Technology, which is sold in the U.S.
Most crash testing involves a moving car and a stationary barrier meant to represent another car. In side-impact tests, testing agencies usually leave the test car stationary and strike it with a sled representing a moving vehicle.
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Mercedes, however, says the new test was “a scenario based on real-world accident data.”
We can’t easily compare the results to crash testing conducted by the federal government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the insurance industry’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Both agencies conduct side-impact testing, but leave the tested car stationary.
The results, however, appear impressive. Mercedes notes that “The passenger compartments of both vehicles remained intact. The readings from all eight crash-test dummies, representing four adults and four children, remained below the relevant biomechanical limits.”
The results, the company says, “indicate that there is a low risk of serious or life-threatening injuries to the occupants.”
