Safety Seminar

[naladude911]

Our high school is going to be competing, individually, in the New York Auto Show Safety Seminar. Colleges from around the nation will be in this seminiar, and our school has been asked to come up with ideas to improve automotive safety. The cash prize for first place is $1000, and I'm hoping to aquire that with some ideas from NICO, as well as my own. What can be done to improve automotive safety, which is new, and hasnt already been thought of? I was starting to think of little nozzles fitted around the engine bay that spray flame-retardent foam when activated from high heat. Any suggestions?

[hsckris]

I was starting to think of little nozzles fitted around the engine bay that spray flame-retardent foam when activated from high heat.

Been done before, just not in a factory vehicle.

[naladude911]

So I have some more ideas-in-car breathalizer, my teacher said it was done already.-tire pressure adjuster - built in car airtank that automaticly adjusts tire pressure due to road conditions or temp-allignment indicator - warning light that indicates which wheel is unaligned-sunvisor button - switch on wheel so you dont have to pull your visor down-tread monitoring system - regulates tire wear.-detachable solid body panels - body panels which look flush against the car, but can easily be broken due to an emergency. EX, pushing the roof off to get out if all the doors dont work.-semi-ruberized barriers - absorb highway impact, need to be researched so they wont expand or contract.

[raremotive]

So I have some more ideas-in-car breathalizer, my teacher said it was done already.-tire pressure adjuster - built in car airtank that automaticly adjusts tire pressure due to road conditions or temp-allignment indicator - warning light that indicates which wheel is unaligned-sunvisor button - switch on wheel so you dont have to pull your visor down-tread monitoring system - regulates tire wear.-detachable solid body panels - body panels which look flush against the car, but can easily be broken due to an emergency. EX, pushing the roof off to get out if all the doors dont work.-semi-ruberized barriers - absorb highway impact, need to be researched so they wont expand or contract.

1)no2)nitrogen is cheaper and does the job better3)alignment indicator is when your steering wheel is jiggling4)sunvisor button... it can't be that distracting to pull it down by hand5)tread wear... not possible to sense it6)detachable parts only make the car more dangerous, especially at an roll over7)plauseable

not bad for thinking these things up..

however.. the MOST effective way to make the roads safer is the change the DRIVER. Guns don't kill people, only the person holding does. Same concept with the car.

-Requiring everyone to take a extensive driver's ed class.

-second opening more public places for youth to thrash their cars keeping them off the streets

-third raise the age of driving to higher age, already proven that higher ages are less likely to have an accident.

-govern the car to sense road speed at posted speeds and limits the car to that speed

-take away licenses from older people once they reach a certain age.

-complete computerized driver would be a more safer route, however not guarantee that there won't be any accidents. even computers crash..

There has to be a social need for a society to change. There is not easy pill that will take that away. No matter how great we can invent a car or road system, people fall though the faults.

But to throw one innovation idea. fill the inside of the body with gel. Once impacted the gel hardens up. Like a helmet, once impacted it protects the head, and you have to buy a new helmet.

Here's the concept. Have 2 friends hold a bed sheet top and bottom. You.. throw some eggs at the bed sheet as hard as you can.

You will observe that you will not break the egg, because the sheet absorbs the impact. Same concept for this gel that hardens on impact.

But however, I still stand by that it's a society that needs to change, not the car.
Modified by Rare_f8 at 6:59 PM 2/6/2009

[mikeblucas]

Hello. I have a couple of idea's.1. Double walled, composite foam, bulk head. Reason: Not only would frontal crash literally be further from the driver and passangers but alternative uses would be used as a noise dampner, reducing (NVH), Noise-Vibration-Harshness.2. Rear Crash Zone sensor. Reason: All of Nissan's models are equipped with a front crash zone sensor. If one were to be implemented in the rear aswell, preferably mounted to the rear of the spare tire well, thus possibly allowing the active head rest option to retract forward in an attempt to reduce whip lash from rear impacts.3. Standard Run-Flat / Extended-Mobility Tires Reason: Using the new GT-R as an example, This would eliminate the overall weight of a spare tire. Even though Run-Flat tires are then good for 50 mile at 50 Mph this would force the customer to return to the dealer in the attempt at a tire repair, plus balancing, plus complementary vehicle inspection as a courtesy for returning to a Nissan Dealer. Other changes that could be made to the spare tire well area due to a lack of spare tire would be either an increase in truck space with possible retractible second row seating similar the the third row of our Quest models. Or, elimination of the spare tire well and a smooth trunck pan design allowing for increase in undervehicle air flow inadvertantly reducing undervehicle pressure allowing for increased fuel mileage. My recommendation is to implement a tire warrenty or exchange program if this were to ever take effect.4. Permenant day-time running lights Reason: Just like our Canadian market where there are laws for the day-time lights to be on all the time, the idea is to allow a reduction in different parts such as ECM's or wiring harnesses. This has a hand in cost reduction implemented through parts versatility. These are just a few small idea's that I have floating around. My name is Michael Lucas and I would be happy to be of any further service. Thank you...

[naladude911]

Hmm not bad. My friend and I are doign the siren detection system, when an emergency vehicle emits a high pitched noise that lowers a civillian's car radio volume, and the vehicle allignment system. I like the rear crash sensor or the bulkhead.

[mikeblucas]

Hello. The sound emitting idea is not plausible since it would have alternative affects other than sound dampening, such as store alarms, hearing aids, and other electronis like pace makers. I will almost be suprised if the previous ideas that I listed didn't raise an eyebrow or two. My advice to you would be to think of one car like the Altima. Then realize that initial safety concerns must only be directed to that vehicles passengers. The thought of affecting that vehicles surroundings is infinatly variable and by no means cost affective. Cost affectivness and Federal safety guidelines are what they will be expecting to see. (Initially) From then on it will become an idea that will be reviewed by numerous design engineers. Basically the 1,000 dollar bribe is to allow those engineers to take a mental break. By the way I may very well see you at the show. I will be there on the 1st day primarily around the Nissan area. Thank you...

[naladude911]

My teacher said the judges mostly focuse on active safety rather then passive am I correct? What do you think of the siren detection or the vehicle alligment?

[mikeblucas]

Hello. Describe to me what your definition of active versus passive safety means. Thank you...

[naladude911]

My friend just told me that those ideas I came up were already used and didnt place. Active: seatbelts, warning systems, detectors etc, passive: airbags, crumple zones etc

[naladude911]

I need ideas fast!!!!

[naladude911]

I might just do the siren or vehicle allignment if I need to do something quick, i mean if I do a good display I might get by.

[AZhitman]

Go read Popular Mechanics and Popular Science.

I subscribe to both - Great magazines.

[AZhitman]

1. Double walled, composite foam, bulk head. Reason: Not only would frontal crash literally be further from the driver and passangers but alternative uses would be used as a noise dampner, reducing (NVH), Noise-Vibration-Harshness.

2. Rear Crash Zone sensor. Reason: All of Nissan's models are equipped with a front crash zone sensor. If one were to be implemented in the rear aswell, preferably mounted to the rear of the spare tire well, thus possibly allowing the active head rest option to retract forward in an attempt to reduce whip lash from rear impacts.

3. Standard Run-Flat / Extended-Mobility Tires Reason: Using the new GT-R as an example, This would eliminate the overall weight of a spare tire. Even though Run-Flat tires are then good for 50 mile at 50 Mph this would force the customer to return to the dealer in the attempt at a tire repair, plus balancing, plus complementary vehicle inspection as a courtesy for returning to a Nissan Dealer.

1) Already in use. Go look at a new G37.2) Also already in use. See #1.3) Runflats suck, and are heavy. Sprung weight (like a spare tire) is far less detrimental to handling / braking / acceleration than unsprung weight (tires / wheels).

Good discussion nonetheless!

[naladude911]

Reflective headlight housing. Just as the title says, a headlight housing that reflects light. This will improve night safety for other drivers if one forgets to turn on their headlights. I can do a really good display also since I have spare J30 housings.

[raremotive]

3) Runflats suck, and are heavy. Sprung weight (like a spare tire) is far less detrimental to handling / braking / acceleration than unsprung weight (tires / wheels).

And they wear out faster.

Every time a safety feature pops up. It just adds more expense to the car.

Active verse passive.. active is doing something about it. Everything I mentioned was a active suggestion.

Passive is talking about it. Like going to schools and teaching kids that drugs are bad.

I am working on my mechanical engineering degree. And it's constantly hounded in our heads about pro's and con's of things. You just simply learn to balance it. It comes a balance of how much safety you can put in a car before it gets just too expensive for the consumer to buy. Then you have the issue of consumer demands.

One of the biggest discussions in the engineer word isn't frontal or rear impact. But side, there just isn't enough to protect someone from a side impact.

[naladude911]

I got into the competiton!!!!! woot!!!! only 5 ppl from our school get in!!!! Its a pedestrian airbag, you will see it!