BMW and Audi Safety Innovation?

[LaArtist]

The purpose of the thread is simple, please list the innovations in safety from Audi and BMW from 00-now.
Or actually from whenever.

I just read that MB will bring pre safe into the next phase with an audible warning sound to prepare your ears for a crash and the sound of airbag deployment.

Personally i feel that this forum sheds very little light into this kind of technology, we are to concerned with sportiness of cars even in the SUV and Upper luxury class.

I'm very impressed by safety technology, i would love to be in a car that prepares my ears for the sound of the crash, as it might save my hearing, and as an aviator i would loose my license at the slightest drop in hearing.

I respect Mercedes for always pushing the envelope when it comes to safety, but what do the other 2 do in this area? Or is it just as simple as MB innovating and them following when it comes to safety.

We have brand experts, let us be educated!

 

[Sunny]

Hmmm, I don't know, I was going to pick CF safety cell in affordable cars over "audible warning sound"... Though, I am no "brand expert" so maybe i should go with the audible warning thing . But then again who really needs hearing? "Wait, what honey? You said no 2 chicks at same time? Jeez, I thought you said do 2 chicks at same time... oops!"

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Does the i3 feature a CF safety cell?

 

[Giannis]

I can't speak for Audi but digging through various material for the past hour I couldn't find any safety feature that BMW pioneered. They have done wonders with handling, design and the iDrive UI, but not any safety related world first.

Does the i3 feature a CF safety cell?

It's a CF chassis. The innovation is the mass use of the CF as in 'exotic material' and not the safety aspect.

 

[Rolf]

I guess could you call a multi function steering wheel as a safety feature? BMW pioneered that in the E38 BMW 7-series. BMW have pioneered some lighting technology, such as ellipsoid lights in the 80"s, xenon lights in the 90's, laser lighting in 2010's. Not sure you could say this is a safety feature or assist to improve night driving safety.

Audi had the procon-ten system in its cars in the 1990' before airbags were been used. It was a safety restraint system that used belts to pull the steering column inwards away from the driver in a frontal impact as well as tension the seatbelts.

Out of all the car manufacturers, I would reckon Mercedes are the most innovative for safety features and Volvo close behind.

 

[Mr Robert]

None of them got anything on Volvo.

 

[klier]

Hmmm, I don't know, I was going to pick CF safety cell in affordable cars over "audible warning sound"... Though, I am no "brand expert" so maybe i should go with the audible warning thing . But then again who really needs hearing? "Wait, what honey? You said no 2 chicks at same time? Jeez, I thought you said do 2 chicks at same time... oops!"

Shhhh! NO! MB leads and BMW and Audi wobble along. The thread is obvious and clear.

"Innovations in safety" is just meaningless Buzz for the most part. It's true MB likes to highlight it more than the other two.
And I am glad too, cars are safe enough as is. No need to highlight tiny fluctuations.

 

[LaArtist]

^are you kidding me? Leave it up to you to write something so f#cking stupid.
How can you say that all the Benz innovation in safety is just tiny fluctuations? and cars are NOT safe enough, people still die. Im sure the earlier version of you said the same back in the 70s when cars had no ABS and ESP...

Respect should be given where it is due, they pour down huge ammounts of money into safety tech that the others then adopt, the list is LOOONG..

And no not even Volvo pioneer safety tech at the rate of MB.

I take a safe car any day..over what you think is so important..for eg how fast a god damn 7er is around a track.. totally irrelevant things.

This thread is meant to shed light on a very important part of cars that we often forget on this forum.

And also in all honesty to shit on BMW and Audi, as they invest way less (or they invest as much but don't come up with anything in safety) than MB and still like to charge as much or more for their cars.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

I'm very impressed by safety technology, i would love to be in a car that prepares my ears for the sound of the crash, as it might save my hearing, and as an aviator i would loose my license at the slightest drop in hearing.

Man, you must have been sober AF when you created this thread!

I take a safe car any day..over what you think is so important..for eg how fast a god damn 7er is around a track.. totally irrelevant things.
And also in all honesty to shit on BMW and Audi, as they invest way less (or they invest as much but don't come up with anything in safety) than MB and still like to charge as much or more for their cars.

....And, now you're back to your good ol' normal self. Yay.

 

[LaArtist]

^ haha klier brings out the best in me..

Instead of popping off and turning the thread into a mud fight.

People should do as intended, and show us what innovations in safety these 2 brands have given the world.

I see some of you making a honest try, i applaud that, but so far not much to write home about.

And if it really is so that safety innovation is nearly nil and very low on these 2 brands agendas, then let's just call it a day..and close the thread.. at least we know now

 

[Merc1]

Volvo and MB are the only ones with a real safety record. BMW and Audi didin't give two shits about safety until they saw that it could be used in marketing.

M

 

[Gianclaudio]

On a side note, a couple of weeks ago in my supermarket there was Audi Bolivia promoting the A3 sedan. I was shocked to see it was equipped with just two airbags.....cars in my country are expensive in general, so the base Merc, BMW and Audi normally come with halogens, cloth seating, manual trannys, etc. BUT neither Mercedes nor BMW skip safety features, they come fully equipped, unlike Audi.
I know Audi Bolivia specifically ask a striped as possible car in order to have a better price than their German rivals, but how in the earth Audi AG does accept this and send a "premium" car with just the essentials? Where is their ethics and corporate values? They give a kcuf about if people die in one of their less safe cars, just to get one more sale. Pathetic, crappy company, will never ever see my hard earned.

 

[ThroughandThrough]

Regarding BMW's crash tests, compare these two videos.

Notice how late the Cadillac's side curtain airbags deploy, nearly two seconds after the front airbag. The late deployment causes the dummy to traumatically hit his head on the A-pillar. Also, notice how much damage the Cadillac's sheet metal suffers from the small overlap compared to the BMW. Furthermore, notice the driver's lowered window raises out of the door in the crash.

Again, Cadillacs are junk.

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[Sunny]

Does the i3 feature a CF safety cell?

Yes, they call it "Life module" or something.

IMO, the whole production process is a much bigger step in automotive engineering (not counting drive side technologies) than even adoption of monocoque chassis. I just wish they were more aggressive in adopting it to the rest of the line up.

CF body along with electrical propulsion and self driving technology is going to be the trinity of the near to mid term future of individual transportation. Again IMHO.

 

[Beemer B773ER]

Again IMHO.

Sorry @Sunny , @LaArtist is not looking for opinions, he is seeking facts. You're fired!

 

[Giannis]

Regarding BMW's crash tests, compare these two videos.

Notice how late the Cadillac's side curtain airbags deploy, nearly two seconds after the front airbag. The late deployment causes the dummy to traumatically hit his head on the A-pillar. Also, notice how much damage the Cadillac's sheet metal suffers from the small overlap compared to the BMW. Furthermore, notice the driver's lowered window raises out of the door in the crash.

Holly crap! The whole floorpan of the Cadillac just bent on impact! Unbelievable!

 

[LaArtist]

Where is scott when you need him, come sprinkle some creative marketing. Its looking real bad at this point, no one is coming up with anything substantial.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I think Sunny's post about the carbon core is pretty substantative.

 

[LaArtist]

I think Sunny's post about the carbon core is pretty substantative.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carbon_fiber_monocoque_cars
to show that its not first, first non supercar though

2. BMW claims that in the 100 or so crash tests it has performed on the i3, its carbon-fibre construction is at least as safe, if not safer, in a crash.
To show that its not really safety that is the reason behind the CF monocoque, more so weight so it has some range on its battery.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...336/BMW-i3-electric-car-the-inside-story.html

3. http://www.euroncap.com/en/results/bmw/i3/8863
report and stars given says it all

 

[LaArtist]

The innovation is the mass use of the CF as in 'exotic material' and not the safety aspect.

THIS!