How The U.S. Government Killed The Safest Car Ever Built

[Ian David]

Thirty-five years ago, the U.S. government built a fleet of cars that were safer than anything on the road. Twenty-five years ago, the government shredded them in secret. Two escaped the crusher. This is their story.

As Congress and the auto industry wrestle with another round of tougher safety standards, nothing on the menu comes close to setting up the federal government's own vehicle design business. Yet that's exactly what Congress did in 1966.

<snip>

For a piece of American-built iron from the depths of the Carter administration, the 14 Minicar Research Safety Vehicles had a massive amount of technology. The fender and front fascia were plastic composites that could take a 10-mph smack unscathed. Under the plastic body of the most advanced version were run-flat tires, anti-lock brakes with crash-sensing radar and dual-stage airbags. The front seats were attached to the roof with a see-through plastic shield, so they wouldn't collapse in a rear-end collision.

<snip>

Armed with data from 59 RSVs from Minicars and Calspan/Chrysler, NHTSA chief Joan Claybrook was ready to press on in 1980 with a new generation of safety vehicles, setting a target of a 2000-lb. car that could seat four and pass a battery of 40-mph crash tests.

All that ended in January 1981, when the "Morning in America" team from the Reagan administration halted the RSV work and promptly fracked the Lorne Greene promos. Two years later, Kelley would tell Congress that by safety standards all new U.S. vehicles were "obsolete the moment they roll off the assembly line." Thanks to Americans' general dislike of buckling up, the government's experts were forecasting 70,000 auto deaths a year by 1990.



More:
http://jalopnik.com/5549518/

Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/RayBeckerman/status/14857925387

[NNN0LHI]

1. Looks like a AMC Pacer with gull wing doors

[Bluebear]

2. AMC :)

I know, I had one of those fishbowls on wheels.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Thank you for the correction

:hi:

[walldude]

6. I had a Gremlin!

Man that was the crappiest car I ever owned...

[Donnachaidh]

7. hey -- Bohemian Rhapsody goes well with Pacers.

I wanted one of those too LOL!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

3. Safe, my ass... my eyes are bleeding just looking at pictures. (n/t)

[Mopar151]

5. Right up there with the FWD motorcycle

I'll be back later to really pour some fuel on this one......

[Kolesar]

8. The death rate on the highways is lower than the death rate from firearms

Due to improvements in crash protection, fuel cutoff, better tires, suspension, and handling. I think it is at around 30,000 deaths/year. So we have accomplished safety improvements.

[Mopar151]

9. There are better prototypes out there!

Audi 5000 Quattro rally car - will take the big hit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPMoYstpO80&feature=related

[Heywood J]

10. And here I was thinking the method of death would be

CAFE standards...

[Kolesar]

11. Firestone Wilderness AT...eom