Here are some General Motors crash tests from the 1960's. Note how the almost complete absence of modern safety features - airbags, seatbelts, etc. - means that the crash test dummies are exposed to the full force of the impact.
I'm rather glad things have improved since then!
Peter
3 comments:
To appreciate what went into those tests, remember that in those days, the videocams, what with their image orthicon or vidicom vacuum tubes, were almost as expensive as the cars.
I noticed some of the cars have "UCLA" on them. When I went there in the 1970's I learned that UCLA Dept of Engineering had developed a lot of the pioneering crash tests.
In my explorations of the engineering building I came across a vast storeroom of old equipment and test apparatus (apparati?) -- including a couple of vintage crash test dummies. Had they not weighed so much I would probably have one now.
Don in Oregon
I was surprised to see how easily the seats broke loose from their mounts.
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