Overview:  
Today's fireside chat with Merkel Weiss arose from our passion for debating the all-powerful automotive market for SUV’s (Sport Utility Vehicles).

Our debate is over the fight for improved safety in light of the fact that we have the technology to avoid inherent problems with this very popular and profitable class of vehicle. They should be held to at least as high a standard, if not a higher standard, than with passenger cars.

Take your own straw pole and count the light trucks and SUV's on the road. You should come up with about 40% of all passenger vehicles out there is a light truck or SUV. And it is precisely for this reason of popularity and profitability that the consumer should demand a higher standard of safety than is acceptable for cars less prone to accidents.  

Merkel:  
Well Joe, "A higher Standard" is right on. With the rise of SUV/pickup truck population on the road, there is a profound effect on the operational costs to society. The obvious costs involve the use of more petroleum products, both fuel and motor oil, tire rubber, and so on. The less obvious costs show up as parking requirements for larger vehicles, often high depreciation, and the increased medical bills associated with crashes.  

Joe:  
Good Merkel. Because you are a forensic scientist and reconstruct accidents in your professional life, what are the problems?  

Merkel:  
Joe, the mere fact that these are heavy vehicles is really no change at all in the American demographic when viewed in the long run. Although cars were getting lighter for a while and fuel economy numbers were on the rise in the 1980's, the tide has turned again back to bigger, heavier vehicles that most American drivers prefer.

The difference is that now the roads are populated with crashworthy cars and larger, stiffer, and vastly heavier light-truck-based SUVs. The result of a crash between a car and an SUV is very often devastating in terms of property damage or life. Trucks are stiffer and transmit more shock load to their passengers in crashes, while their weight delivers more impact load to the other car at impact.

There has also been a dramatic increase in single vehicle rollover accidents. This is because SUVs are without exception higher off the ground than cars. Statistics show that the injuries sustained in this type of accident are usually more serious than in a car. My take on this is simple. They go fast and feel safe because they are heavy. Therefore people drive faster in them. Put another way, when we build a steadier ladder you can be sure people will climb higher.

Ok Merkel, so what solutions do you see?

Merkel:  
In 1991, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a concept car called the C112. It had many unique features which have since become industry standard, not the least of which was the use of ABS (anti-lock braking system) to provide an automatic stability control (ASC). In simple terms, if the tail comes out in a corner, ABS applies the outside front brake until the rotation stops, and vice-versa. ASC is really nothing more than a yaw-calibrated (spin) accelerometer, linked to 4-channel ABS through some simple programming. Most of the components, like the ABS, already exist in new vehicles today, and can be used off the shelf. Also, ASC works so silently it is actually not even noticeable. The vehicle is out of control one second, and back in control the next.

So here's my point. Make ASC mandatory for all vehicles with an SUV profile. SUV manufacturers do not seem willing to put ASC in each and every SUV they sell even to limit their own liability, so it should be mandatory.

Joe:  
Merkel, how do you propose they do that? 

Merkel:  
Joe, all you have to do is use some threshold aspect ratio, linked to the height off the ground, such as the one already calculated by NHTSA as the rollover index. Next, the federal government should require all vehicles beyond a certain height aspect ratio to have ASC. Simple, effective, unobtrusive in operation, and available technology would be used to solve a known problem.

Joe:
I don’t know. Here we go again trying to protect us from ourselves. We just give up more freedoms. Some people may want to feel in control and not rely on the car to save them.

Merkel:  
Well Joe, ASC only comes on at the initial onset of an emergency situation (a spin) much more rapidly than a person could respond. It quietly stabilizes the vehicle and then goes away. You can hardly notice it. If people insist on driving SUV’s in traffic, then it is reasonable that certain avoidance maneuvers, that are no problem for a car, could put an SUV out of control. Those who drive smaller vehicles like Taurus or Maxima are at risk from SUV’s. If buyers choose to drive SUV’s they should have the safety equipment to protect themselves and others on the road.

Joe:  
Ok, that makes sense Merkel. You’ve made the point that the usefulness of this class of vehicle is undeniable with all their pros, now we have the convincing argument that the dangers of this “Lead weight on wheels” can be hazardous to MY health. So I’ll buy a Hummer, go even bigger and protect myself that way…

            … just kidding Merkel.

I see no reason why such technology should not be employed in the manufacture of SUVs, but the how is the difficult answer. The liability is not great enough to encourage carmakers to do it on their own, so what do we do? Should we lobby congress, get a bill passed, run for public office and make a change?

Consumer Recommendation:
Write your congressman and attach a copy of this discussion. We have the technology. It is inexpensive technology. Not doing it represents a “Clear and Present Danger” to everyone on the highways and byways of this country. Therefore it demands a law to require carmakers to include ABS and ASC as Standard Equipment and make their vehicles safer to operate.

Good News:
Technology allows for products that can be better than ever.

 Bad News:
SUV manufacturers are not being encouraged to incorporate the new technology in their vehicles.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@autolove.com
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