Safety design and collision zones
How you understand what the other person really needs
A modern car is designed to break in a controlled way. It sounds contradictory but it's the key to passengers surviving a severe collision. As a car body technician you need to understand this way of thinking because your repair must recreate the exact behavior the manufacturer designed.
§Deformationszoner optager energi
Front and rear of the car have deformation zones — areas built to collapse in a collision. When crushed they absorb the motion energy gradually and extend the time it takes to stop the car. This reduces the forces hitting passengers. A car that deformed not at all would transfer the entire impact directly to the people sitting in it.
§The safety cabin must remain rigid
Around the passengers is a rigid safety cabin in high-strength steel that must maintain its shape so the survival space is not crushed. Harder steel grades are used here than in the deformation zones. The difference between the soft, energy-absorbing zones and the rigid cabin is the whole idea behind the design.
What it means for repair
- 01Use the manufacturer's repair instructions — they tell you what can be straightened and what must be replaced.
- 02Preserve the materials' properties: incorrect heat or incorrect welding can change the strength.
- 03Recreate the welding method and joint type used by the factory.
- 04Check geometry after repair so zones fold correctly next time.
- 05Be particularly careful around attachment points for seat belts and airbags.
§Restraint systems are included
Seatbelts seatbelt tensioners and airbags work together with the body to protect passengers. After a collision these systems must be inspected and possibly replaced according to the manufacturer's instructions and you must handle pyrotechnic components with great caution. A whole body without a functioning restraint system provides false security.