How safe was the car you drove in the 1990s? That was the question posed by the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP), which celebrating its 30th anniversary by reflecting on the vehicle models it first rated back when testing began back in 1993.
At the time, the programme was known as the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that had the goal of making safety an important consideration for car buyers – this continues till today. Of course, the way testing was done back then was completely different, as only a single full-width front crash test at a speed of 56 km/h was the only one conducted.
In the early tests, vehicles were measured based on the relative protection offered to front-seat occupants (driver and front passenger), with the results published using a colour-code system representing the degree of injury risk. The star rating system that we’re familiar with wasn’t introduced until 1999.
Red would indicate serious injury that includes likely brain damage, chest compression of over 75 mm as well as likely upper leg injury. Meanwhile, amber indicated moderate injury risk (possible brain damage, chest compression of between 50 to 75 mm and possible upper leg injury. Last but not least, green indicated minimal risk of injury with unlikely injury to the brain, chest and upper leg.
In 1993, common cars you would find on Australian roads include the Ford Falcon, Mitsubishi Magna, Holden Commodore and Mazda 626. These, along with the Honda Accord, Subaru Liberty, Nissan Pintara, Toyota Camry and Volvo 940 were all featured in NCAP’s first round of safety ratings.
Of the nine cars tested, only the 940 came with an airbag for the driver, with the only significant safety feature present in all the vehicles tested being a standard seatbelt. The results were sobering, with the Pintara, Commodore and Accord carrying the highest risk of driver head injury. The Commodore also carried the highest risk of front passenger head injury, together with the Liberty and Magna. ANCAP points out that the standout performer at the time was the 940.
To reflect on the significant progress in vehicle safety over the past three decades, which has seen improved vehicle design as well as more comprehensive testing standards, ANCAP gathered a handful of the nine models featured in the inaugural 1993 ratings release and their current owners for a live crash test demonstration at Crashlab in Western Sydney.
The car subjected to modern testing standards (the speed is increased to 64 km/h) was a 1993 Mitsubishi Magna (TR series), which unsurprisingly didn’t perform well. Dummy injury measurements recorded showed the driver face a high risk of serious or fatal skull fracture and brain injury resulting from hard contact on the steering wheel without the cushion of an airbag.
Additionally, the driver’s upper and lower legs and pelvis would face high injury risk, with moderate injury risk for the chest. Rear passengers aren’t spared either and would have also sustained serious injuries slipping beneath the lap portion of the seatbelt with crash forces transferred across the abdomen.
“When I bought my car, I chose it because I thought it was bigger and stronger than a compact car. But seeing the results of this crash have made me realise that size and shape are somewhat irrelevant. What makes the difference are the safety improvements that have been introduced over time,” said Charlie Munns, current owner of a 1993 EB Ford Falcon.
“For me, safety has always been important. While my car is now 30 years old, it was the safest of its kind in ANCAP’s early testing, and it’s great to see the safety thread continue and improve, and expand across different makes and models,” said Stefan Bos, a current owner of a 1993 Volvo 940.
This isn’t the first time ANCAP looked to the past to see how far vehicle safety has progressed. Several years ago, it conducted its first car-to-car crash involving a 1998 Toyota Corolla and its more modern 2015 counterpart. The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) also did the same to mark its 20th anniversary by pitting a 20-year-old Rover 100 (aka Metro) against a 2015 Honda Jazz. No surprise that the newer cars performed much better than the older ones.
“We’ve seen vehicle safety advance in leaps and bounds over the past 30 years as a result of ANCAP’s persistence and ability to influence consumer-driven change. Our founders were originally met with strong resistance from vehicle manufacturers, yet today, they’re the ones bringing forward new and innovative ways to prevent road crashes,” commented said Carla Hoorweg, CEO of ANCAP.
“Back then, the cars we drove were just regular cars. We didn’t think twice about what safety they offered, or didn’t offer. Today, the Australian consumer is well-informed and empowered with the tools to make safer vehicle choices, and the age of your vehicle can make all the difference,” she added.
ANCAP’s demonstration serves to highlight how far things have progressed in terms of vehicle safety in 30 years. There’s certainly no harm in enjoying old cars but please be careful when you take yours out for a spin. In a crash, it is likely your classic won’t offer the same level of protection as something a lot more modern – old isn’t always gold when it comes to vehicle safety.
The post Are “solid” older cars really safe in an accident? appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
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