Monday 24th April 2006

Jaguar XK wins safety award

Ped-friendly pop-up bonnet gets the nod

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Jaguar XK - safe bonnet

Jaguar's pop-up bonnet system, designed to meet new pedestrian safety standards, has won an award -- specifically, the 2006 World Traffic Safety Symposium’s Traffic Safety Achievement Award in the Automaker Category.

The award is due in large part to the 2007 XK’s Pedestrian Impact Safety System - an all-new, industry-leading safety feature which was created to meet Phase One of the new European safety legislation. This system is fitted on 2007 Jaguar XK models currently on sale in markets outside North America.

The new European standards for pedestrian safety are designed to help mitigate the severity of injuries to pedestrians in the event of a collision. In the unfortunate event of a pedestrian impact, the deployable bonnet on the new XK automatically pops up a few inches, to increase space between the engine and the bonnet. This helps to isolate the pedestrian from hard points in the engine compartment – and takes place in less than a tenth of the time it takes to blink an eye. An advanced sensing system is mounted in the front bumper to help discriminate between a pedestrian collision and any other possible front-end collisions.

On behalf of the Jaguar XK Pedestrian Safety team based in Coventry, England, Jonathan Mabey said: “The whole team is extremely proud to be recognized for the Jaguar Pyrotechnic Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet system on the new 2007 XK.”

How the awards system works

To reward major advancements in traffic safety, the WTSS recognises organisations and individuals that are creating a safer environment for motorists and pedestrians. Each year, the awards are judged by auto safety experts from government agencies, educational institutions, private foundations and "individuals with a passion for the advancement of traffic safety".

Will we see Paul Smith from Safe Speed there?

[Al 450]

In my experience it's the pavement that damages the pedestrian shortly after they are hit by the car that is the problem. Force all pedestrians to wear crash helmets!

[jazzyjeff]

Al 450 said:

In my experience it's the pavement that damages the pedestrian shortly after they are hit by the car that is the problem. Force all pedestrians to wear crash helmets!

Pyrotechnic pop-up pavements anyone?? ;-)

JJ

[r988]

Al 450 said:

In my experience it's the pavement that damages the pedestrian shortly after they are hit by the car that is the problem. Force all pedestrians to wear crash helmets!

Or make it legal to run them down when they dont cross at a crossing, bet they will be a bit more careful then (says I a regular pedestrian )

[mybrainhurts]

Let's hope it doesn't go off when I'm sniffing the paint....

[Hedders]

Sounds good but it would be even better if it popped up about two foot and then back down instantly, launching the ped over your car and allowing you to carry on with your journey.

[a8hex]

Al 450 said:

------------------8<------------------------ Force all pedestrians to wear crash helmets!

Nah... then they'd leave even bigger dents in your nice shiney paint work