Because customers worldwide are demanding safe cars and governments are regulating crashworthiness more strictly, engineers are selecting materials and designs that make vehicles safer, year after year.  The steel industry has been facing the challenge by reinventing steel over time and pioneering a whole new class of materials that are over 50% stronger than a decade ago. 

[ more ]

In the same time it takes to pop a balloon with a needle, your day can go from mundane to life changing. That's how quickly a car crash can happen-- in 67 milliseconds or less, about the length of time for a balloon pop.

[ more ]


Much like a nut is protected by its hard outside shell, the Smart Fortwo's occupants are protected by an AHSS steel housing.
Fuel prices and general concern about the environment have shifted U.S. customer sentiment away from larger cars and light-duty trucks, and sent the average car buyer down segment into a once rarely visited part of the showroom: small passenger vehicles. But while more compact and subcompact cars are rolling out of the showroom, U.S. consumers still remain wary about safety, and the ability to stand up to larger vehicles in a two-car collision.

[ more ]