The concept of security is broad and diverse, and most importantly, it is constantly changing as the decades pass and technology evolves. Opel had a clear vision of this even 50 years ago: as early as 1973, the brand with German roots equipped all its models with seat belts, even though their existence has only been mandatory since 1976.
The implementation of the ideas reached an important milestone in 1974 in the form of the study car called Opel Safety Vehicle (OSV) 40, which was based on the Opel Kadett C presented a year earlier.
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It was named after a successful crash test that saw it hit a solid barrier head-on at 40 mph, or almost 65 km/h. The big breakthrough was that it was possible to open all four doors without the need for different tools, and the nose of the car absorbed the force of the collision so well that the indentation was only 50 centimeters.
The experimental compact also held up well in the other crash tests, even in the case of overturning at a speed of 48 km/h. However, the engineers were taught a lesson, as they had to keep the weight of the car, including the safety accessories, under one ton. They managed to show that this is possible: in the case of the OSV 40, the tip of the scale stopped at 960 kilograms, while it was equipped with the highest level of passive safety available at the time.
Photo: Opel/Stellantis
The study car was presented at an international conference in London. Among other things, the OSV 40 “shocked” the industry with its bumpers, which were filled with polyurethane foam, significantly improving the level of energy absorption. The cavities of the thresholds and doors were also filled with the material, which created a larger safety reserve in the event of side accidents. The passenger compartment became more stable with the reinforced roof structure and the seat backs attached to it, while the body was made more rigid by gluing the windshield made of laminated glass to it.
Photo: Opel/Stellantis
However, polyurethane foam was just the beginning. The complex central warning system that appeared in the passenger compartment, the forerunner of today’s adaptive headlights, and the split rearview mirror also proved forward-looking. The front seats have been redesigned so that the driver and passenger of the vehicle do not collide with each other in the event of a side impact, while the headrests, which represent a minimalist approach, have helped to ensure a good view to the rear. The four seats were equipped with three-point seat belts, and the front seats were also equipped with an automatic belt tensioning system.
Like he said in his statement Opel basically defined the safety of the cars of the future in the OSV 40, because the most effective developments were incorporated into the new models as soon as possible.
Photo: Opel/Stellantis
In the case of today’s compact Opels, the Astra and Astra Sports Tourer, state-of-the-art assistants play a significant role in both passive and active safety systems. These already leave the production line with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection and automatic cruise control, but they also detect if the driver leaves his lane or is drowsy behind the wheel.
Source: www.vezess.hu
