BMW Fails Safety Test

Long, one of the bastions of luxury, comfort and safety, British Motor Works (BMW) has some work to do in its native Germany. In a remarkable turn of focus or negligence, the automobile manufacturer recently finished a side-impact safety testing with its first ever F-rating. In the luxury industry, where cars are expected to perform and protect to a higher degree than their less expensive counterparts, BMW graded lower than any other luxury car tested by the insurance industry in a recent test completed this summer.

Using BMW's 2008, 5 Series sedan, the $45,000 vehicle scored lower than the Cadillac STS and Mercedes Benz E-Class which scored higher than the BMW but behind those cars that received the highest grades available. Those ratings went to the Acura RL, the Kia Amanti, and the Volvo S80. The tests were conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Unlike the other vehicles, the BMW was the only 2008 model. The other car companies used 2007 models while BMW send the redesigned 2008 version for testing.

The purpose of the test was to see what would happen from an impact standpoint if the luxury vehicles were hit by either a sports utility vehicle or a truck that was traveling at a speed of 31mph. This is the speed the institute has gauged is the break point for serious crashes to occur. The institute uses trucks and sports utility vehicles because of the weight distribution disadvantages that a sedan has against trucks and sports utility vehicles which because of increased sales are becoming roaming destructors on the roads. Over the last ten to fifteen years, the number of sports utility vehicles on the road has grown exponentially based on the popularity of the Ford Explorer and Expedition, as well as luxury entrants in the SUV market. While head-on or frontal crashes are the leading causes of death, side-impact collisions are not far behind. Almost ten thousand people died in 2005 from side-impact collisions in the US.

In the test, all of the vehicles were equipped with standard side air bags. In cars, air bags are used to protect three critical areas that can lead to death in impact collisions. With the head first, collisions also can have a major impact when they cause harm to the chest area or the part of the body near the abdomen. Chest area injuries can cause collapsed lungs. While abdomen injuries can create internal bleeding problems, lacerations or other problems that can lead to death. In the test, the BMW 5 Series scored well in protecting the head. On the other hand, it scored poorly in securing the abdomen and the chest. In one of the crash testing's, the dummy used was injured when it was hit by the arm rest.

The BMW 5 Series comes in five models, ranging from the standard sedan to touring versions as well as a security version. The security model is an entrant into the armored car market used by companies that need to offer a secure transport for executives or people whose lives are considered high-interest. Always known for their sporty performance and sleek design, BMW has entrenched itself as the performance luxury vehicle for car enthusiasts who want a comfortable ride with a splash of horsepower. Like GM's Onstar, BMWAssist is there to help BMW owners map their directions as well as offer emergency assistance if anything is to go wrong.

With all the advances that BMW has made in the areas of EfficientDynamics to curb fuel consumption and emissions as well as High Precision Injections, BMW is ahead of the pact in design, style, and vehicle character. With their Brake Energy Regeneration, the 5 Series charges the vehicle's battery when the car is braking, coasting, or decelerating. This will save almost three percent of fuel used in a standard vehicle's use. With those aggressive initiatives it is a shame that BMW did not further develop the systems to protect the drivers while they are enjoying all that luxury.

BMW scored an F-rating because it left the dummy vulnerable in testing and in the luxury market, such negligence is unacceptable. If Kia can protect drivers, so should BMW.