Mercedes-Benz has completed construction of an advanced crash test facility – The new Technology Centre for Vehicle Safety (TFS). The new test centre measures 270 by 170 metres with an internal, pillarless test arena – the heart of the crash facility – measuring 90 by 90 metres to allow even complex junction/pre-accident situations to be recreated in future. Consequently, the area of the test arena is considerably larger than a normal football pitch. The facility will cost triple-digit millions of euros, with the commencement of crash testing scheduled for autumn 2016.
“As a safety pioneer, Mercedes-Benz has played a key role in ensuring that crash tests have today become an established part of the global automotive industry. Even in the age of computer simulation, crash tests remain indispensable, guaranteeing the high standards of passive safety in our vehicles. The new Technology Centre for Vehicle Safety (TFS) represents a continuation of this pioneering role. The world’s most advanced crash test facility will enable us in future to carry out all crash tests on our own premises – not just more crash tests due to the growing product range, but also crash tests with future, new configurations”. - Thomas Merker, Director for Body and Safety at Mercedes-Benz Cars Development
The design of the new facility allows for collisions with many different angles of impact, including junction collisions, while also taking into account the particular crash-related requirements of vehicles with alternative drives. In addition, Mercedes-Benz aims to use the TFS to further investigate the potential of PRE-SAFE® and driver assistance systems in the event of a crash. To be able to recreate the pre-accident phase, the facility will include an automated driving system for such vehicles. It is also designed for crash tests with large commercial vehicles. A sled test unit will also allow the testing of individual components such as restraint systems.
The company is investing triple-digit millions of euros in the entire facility. The new TFS will in future allow even closer integration between research, development, planning and production at the Sindelfingen site. Located in the direct vicinity, a new driving simulator, new climatic wind tunnels and a new aeroacoustics wind tunnel were taken into service in 2010, 2011 and 2013, respectively.
55 years of crash testing: Mercedes-Benz as safety pioneer
Mercedes-Benz has consistently set new crash-testing standards that have been adopted across the industry, thereby resulting in permanent improvements to vehicle safety in the interests of all road users. Despite being little used in the early years, from the 1960s onwards crash testing increasingly established itself as a reliable tool for the optimisation and testing of vehicle safety. The thorough crash testing regime at Mercedes-Benz covers not just cars, but also vans, commercial vehicles and touring coaches. Mercedes-Benz opened its first indoor crash facility in 1973.
The company’s crash tests always exceed the number and complexity of the legally required tests. The current development programme for new ready-to-produce models comprises around 15,000 realistic crash test simulations and over 150 crash tests. These include not just the approximately 40 different impact configurations required for ratings and worldwide vehicle homologation, but also especially exacting crash tests such as the roof-drop test that are carried out in addition by the company.