至尊英语阅读资料之汽车专题第252集.pdfVIP

Automotive articles 252 [6276]Pain in the Neck: Head Restraints Flunk Tests Head restraints in dozens of SUVs, pickups and minivans offered only poor or marginal protection from neck injuries in simulated rear-impact crashes conducted by the insurance industry. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safetys test results, released last Tuesday, found several SUVs had improved protections against whiplash injuries. But poor ratings are given to several vehicles built by top automakers including BMW AG, DaimlerChrysler AG, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. The designs of seats and head restraints in 21 current SUV, pickup, and minivan models are rated good for protecting people in rear impacts. But 54 other models are rated marginal or poor. Another dozen are rated acceptable. The latest evaluations of occupant protection in rear-end collisions by the Institute found that the head restraints in more than half of light truck and minivan models fall short of needed protection from neck injury or whiplash. The Institutes ratings of good, acceptable, marginal, or poor for 87 2007 models are based on geometric measurements of head restraints and simulated crashes that together assess how well people of varied sizes would be protected in a usual rear crash. Among the best performers are the head restraint combinations in SUVs made by Subaru and Volvo and new product lines from Acura, Ford, Honda, and Hyundai. Among the automakers, Subaru is making the greatest improvement. The automakers latest product lines are far from the traditional Subaru Baja parts. Additionally, head restraints in three minivan models from Hyundai and Ford earn good ratings. The Institute said that the simulated rear crashes at 20 miles per hour showed that many large vehicles fall short in protecting against neck injuries, which lead to two million insurance claims a year costing at least $8.5 billion. Compared with six of 44 SUVs tes