I just got finished looking at a YouTube video. In it, an older Volvo XC70 driver crossed over the yellow line on a two lane road and collided with an approximate 40 ton tractor trailer (or Lorry as they call them) in Norway. Google: "Volvo head on Collision" and it should be the first video to come up. Or, someone else can post it.
The video doesn't say if the driver fell asleep or had a medical condition. The XC70 collision speed was estimated to be around 60 kilometers/hour (looked faster than that). The collision mimics the small overlap head on collision test that all new vehicles are tested. My understanding is that this is significantly more difficult to pass than a straight on, head on collision.
Although the Volvo bounced back like a ping pong ball, I came away impressed that: 1) The drivers "A" frame did not appear bent and 2) The driver was conscious enough to appear to be trying to exit the drivers door. I would expect the driver to have some internal injuries at least, but reading further, I understand the driver lived.
Question to the Volvo experts:
1) What year Volvo does this appear to be? Any Boron steel in this year Volvo?
2) Are all new cars of this size constructed this robustly to withstand a hit like this - with these results? If not, has anyone seen a particular automobile take a hit from a tractor trailer like this and the passengers walked away? This almost makes me want an XC70 to replace my 2016 Colorado pickup.
The video doesn't say if the driver fell asleep or had a medical condition. The XC70 collision speed was estimated to be around 60 kilometers/hour (looked faster than that). The collision mimics the small overlap head on collision test that all new vehicles are tested. My understanding is that this is significantly more difficult to pass than a straight on, head on collision.
Although the Volvo bounced back like a ping pong ball, I came away impressed that: 1) The drivers "A" frame did not appear bent and 2) The driver was conscious enough to appear to be trying to exit the drivers door. I would expect the driver to have some internal injuries at least, but reading further, I understand the driver lived.
Question to the Volvo experts:
1) What year Volvo does this appear to be? Any Boron steel in this year Volvo?
2) Are all new cars of this size constructed this robustly to withstand a hit like this - with these results? If not, has anyone seen a particular automobile take a hit from a tractor trailer like this and the passengers walked away? This almost makes me want an XC70 to replace my 2016 Colorado pickup.
