REAL-WORLD NEEDS DRIVE SAAB SAFETY ENGINEERS Saabs Are Designed to Help Drivers Prevent Collisions, as Well as Survive Them NORCROSS, Ga. --In the 50 years that Saab has been building automobiles, safety has been a top priority in every car's design, engineering, research and development. Today's Saabs benefit from decades of intensive efforts to construct a car that not only offers exceptional protection to occupants in the event of a collision, but provides superior handling, braking and acceleration characteristics that help a driver avoid accidents. These active and passive safety attributes work together to ensure that every Saab 900 and 9000 model offers exceptional protection for its occupants. Saab's long heritage of safety engineering includes many significant innovations, including side-impact reinforcement, split-diagonal braking systems and self-restoring bumpers that can withstand certain low-speed impacts without damage. Saab was one of the first automakers in the world to make an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) standard on its entire car line, and was one of the first to install three-point safety belts in production cars. Headlight wipers/washers were pioneered by Saab in 1971, while daytime running lights have been available on Saabs in Sweden since 1968. Proven to reduce daytime car-to-car crashes, DRLs were made standard on all Saab models in the U.S. for the 1995 model year, although not required by federal regulations. All 1997 Saab 900 and 9000 models meet, and many times exceed, all of the safety demands legislated by law. In fact, many of today's federally mandated features were already initiated by Saab long before a ruling was ever put to paper. Saabs, however, must live up to even tougher standards -- those set by Saab safety engineers who view legislation as a starting point in the ongoing drive toward building the safest possible automobiles. Real Life Safety Research Comes From the Road Because real accidents don't happen in crash-test laboratories, it's necessary that research be supplemented by detailed knowledge of how the car behaves in real accidents on actual highways. Since 1971, Saab has been investigating Swedish road accidents in which Saab cars were involved. The database currently has information on almost 5,000 serious road accidents. In addition to providing statistical information, the investigation also enables Saab to study accidents from a medical viewpoint. Dr. Hugo Ugander, a former surgeon with 17 years experience, is just one of the members of the Swedish automaker's safety engineering team. Saab's medical expert and his team regularly travel to the actual scene of an accident involving a Saab car to gather information. When permission is given, they also interview occupants, examine medical records and transport the damaged cars to the Saab Technical Center for detailed study. "Saab's comprehensive approach to safety research allows us to find factors that improve the crashworthiness of our cars even further," Ugander said. The results of the investigations are analyzed by Saab engineers and designers, who use the information directly in their daily work. The responsibility for the accident is of no interest to Saab, and all information obtained is held in strict confidence. The only pertinent factors are how the accident occurred, the role played by technology and the human being, and above all, how the various systems and subsystems of the Saab behaved during the collision, and how they contributed to the occupants' survival. Structural Integrity Is the Foundation of Saab Safety Philosohy In the dramatic split-second time frame of a collision, dozens of individual systems and subsystems must work in partnership toward one paramount goal: to protect a Saab's occupants. Although only 10 types of crash tests are required by law, Saab subjects vehicles to 21 different types of laboratory collisions, including offset, angled, roll-over and even a simulated impact with a moose. In addition, countless tests are performed via state-of-the-art computer simulations. Rather than optimize the body structure of a Saab to perfomm best in one type of legislated test, such as a full frontal crash into a flat barrier, the Saab is designed, engineered and tested to perform well in many kinds of unpredictable collisions. As evidenced by Saab's own real-world accident investigations, every road accident is entirely unique, and none has ever, in Saab's experience, been exactly duplicated by a crash-test lab. Survival space for the driver and passengers is a key criterion in the design of every new Saab. Sturdy steel reinforcements surround the passenger compartment, diverting collision forces away from the occupants, regardless of whether the impact comes from the front, rear or side. Saab bodies are designed so that they deform in a controlled, consistent way, ensuring that crash energy is well distributed instead of being concentrated at one point. Front and rear crumple zones take the brunt of a crash. Sections of the body defomm progressively, which means that they are designed to absorb energy as they give way gradually, without individual panels being tom away or intruding into the interior. The strongest, stiffest components comprise the passenger compartment "safety cage." The sides of the car cannot be protected with crumple zones, so the body structure is designed to disperse force over as large an area as possible. The crash stresses are absorbed by the side of the car and distributed by the door reinforcing beams and reinforcements in the sill and B-pillar to the safety cage of the body. The cross-members in the floor and under the rear seat are designed to prevent the body from being compressed sideways. On the Saab 900, the unique rear"Safeseat" also includes a cross-member at the top of the rear seat backrest that contributes towards keeping the safety cage intact. Moose Test is Unique in Industry Because moose and deer are common throughout Scandinavia, where Saabs are designed and built, one particular type of accident unfortunately occurs all too often. Each year, thousands of car/animal collisions are recorded. Therefore, Saab conducts crash tests into an 860-pound "artificial moose," made of heavy electrical cables. The high-speed test simulates the most dangerous type of animal impact: an adult moose or elk striking the windshield and forward roof pillars. This industry-unique test ensures that the Saab safety cage structure resists intrusion of the obstacle into the passenger space. While it's not legislated, the Saab "moose test" is another example of Saab's commitment to solving real-world safety challenges. Safety Belts and Airbags Offer Personal Protection Predictable deformation behavior enables the design of the safety belts, airbags and interior details to be optimized to further reduce the risk of occupant injury in a collision. Safety belts are the most important restraint system in any car. In a Saab, the front safety belts include pretensioning retractors that automatically tighten the belts during a crash to control body movement. In addition, the shoulder belts' upper anchorage points are adjustable to help the occupants position the belt correctly and comfortably across the body. The car's most technically sophisticated safety system are the dual airbags, standard on every 1997 Saab. Airbags for the driver and front passenger inflate in less than three-hundredths of a second, helping to arrest the forward movement of the occupants during a crash. Airbags, together with pretensioning safety belts and the carefully engineered body structure of a Saab, have contributed to many Saab owners walking away from accidents that may have otherwise left them seriously injured. Saab seats also contribute to passenger safety. Each individual seat -- front and rear -- is sculpted with an anti-submarining design. The shape of each seat is specifically designed to prevent occupants from sliding forward and under the safety "On-Board" Safetv Cards Provide Quick Reference Taking a cue from its aircraft heritage, Saab equips all 1997 Saab cars with on- board safety cards -- a quick reference summary of important safety information of immediate use to the Saab driver and passengers. Because many motorists overlook key safety features such as proper head restraint position, or they may be unfamiliar with the feel and proper operation of technology such as ABS, a quick review of the safety card -- similar to those found in airliner seatbacks -- helps drivers and passengers take full advantage of Saab's safety equipment. The two-sided 5-by-8-inch cards highlight key occupant safety topics such as correct safety belt position, proper driving position in relation to the driver-side air bag, child seat placement, ABS behavior and how to properly transport and secure heavy, bulky items in the rear seat or trunk. An industry first, model-specific versions of the Saab on-board safety card are included in each Saab 900 and 9000. Active Safety: Prevent an Accident From Happening Saabs are built to perfomm well at minimizing injury in a collision, but they also are engineered with an extremely high level of active safety -- attributes that enable the driver to avoid accidents. Many of the same factors that make Saab cars especially fun to drive also make them safe to drive. The advanced Saab chassis is designed to behave consistently and predictably in all situations, conveying clear and relevant signals to the driver. This philosophy contributes to a Saab's steering precision and directional stability, as well as stable behavior on braking, acceleration and sudden swerving maneuvers on a variety of road surfaces. From the first Saab prototype in 1946 to the present, all Saabs have utilized front-wheel drive for superior driveability, especially in adverse weather conditions. All 1997 Saab models are equipped with four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, which allow the driver to maintain steering control during panic braking. The four-channel ABS system on the Saab 900 is further enhanced by Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), which precisely controls distribution of the braking effort between the front and rear wheels, regardless of the load in the car. Larger brakes discs and calipers for the 1997 Saab 900 allow the brake pads to be positioned further from the disc center, allowing more braking torque for shorter stopping distances and better pedal feel. Interaction Between Saab and Driver Inspired from Saab's aircraft heritage, the cockpit of a Saab car is designed to give the driver information quickly and clearly. The driver sits comfortably in an ergonomically correct position, with all pertinent controls and gauges within natural reach. Dials and controls on the dashboard are arranged in logical groups, according to their functions and frequency of use. Instruments make good use of easily understood symbols. Illumination of gauges and controls presents each item clearly. Some controls offer complete automation at the driver's discretion. For exampla, the Automatic Climate Control (ACC) frees the driver of the need to adjust the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. By pressing one button, ACC is automatically controlled by a microprocessor unless the driver wishes to override any of the functions. To reduce the number of informational inputs during night driving, the Saab 900 features an innovative "Black Panel" that allows the driver to darken all gauges and other non-essential information except the speedometer. Displays appear on a "need to know" basis such as when the fuel level is low or engine temperature is high. Saab Lights the Way to Safety To see and be seen is of vital importance for a driver. Saab lighting systems have long been given particular attention, partly because of the long hours of darkness and frequent adverse weather conditions in Sweden, Saab's home country. All new Saab cars feature powerful halogen headlights, front and rear fog lamps, headlight wipers and washers and daytime running lights (DRLs). DRLs are continuously illuminated headlights activated automatically when the ignition is on. Their use has been proven to be an effective, low-cost method of reducing car-to-car crashes during daylight hours. Such lights are mandatory throughout Scandinavia and on new cars sold in Canada. Saab has offered a DRL alternative in Sweden since 1968. Saab pioneered wiper blades and washers to clean the headlights in 1971 on Saab 96 and 99 models. This rally-inspired safety features eliminates dirty headlights which can seriously impede a driver's night vision, as well as another driver's ability to detect an oncoming car. In 1971, the Swedish Automobile Association awarded Saab a gold medal for this feature, which later became required by law in Sweden. Light Collision Resistance for Lower Insurance Costs In a high-speed crash, a Saab is designed to sacrifice its own body for the protection of its occupants. In a low-speed collision, an owner will appreciate Saab's damage resistance. Both the Saab 900 and 9000 feature foam-ccre bumpers that actually restore to their original shape following a low-speed impact of 5 mph or less. Each year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) subjects new cars to a series of low-speed crash tests to check the strength of their bumpers. In a recent round of tests, a Saab 900 was the only four-door mid-size car to drive away from the 5-mph front and rear flat barrier impacts without damage. In fact, the 900 is one of only four cars tested since 1990 that suffered zero damage in the flat barrier tests. Behind the front bumper of the Saab 900 is a unique "low-speed crash protection system," designed to protect the sheet metal and lamp clusters from damage in minor collisions of up to about 13 mph. Special replaceable deformation elements mounted behind the front bumper absorb the energy of a low-speed impact. Because these modules can be easily replaced, the cost of a minor collision is reduced -- an advantage for the consumer and the insurance company. Saab is Recognized as a Safety Leader Success of Saab's safety engineering is apparent by the numerous accolades Saab has received for its commitment to protecting occupants. Sweden's largest car insurance company, Folksam, has honored the Saab 9000 as "Sweden's Safest Car" three times in a row. In the U.S., Saabs consistently rank among the top cars for low injury and collision losses by the Highway Loss Data Institute. The most important accolades Saab receives, however, come in the form of real-world Uthank you" letters from Saab owners who walked away from a serious collision.