2017 Ford Mustang - Crash Test

General comments
The Ford Mustang has been reassessed following changes made to the latest version. Cars which can be ordered from July 2017 onwards are equipped as standard with Ford's Pre Collision Assist (with Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking) and Lane Keeping Aid. Structurally, the new vehicle is identical to the last, so this assessment uses the crash tests performed previously. The restraint system has been updated to prevent the airbag bottoming out for driver and passenger. In addition, the automatic airbag deactivation now meets Euro NCAP's requirements.

ADULT OCCUPANT
Comments
The passenger compartment of the Mustang remained stable in the frontal offset test. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger dummies. Analysis of the dummy data showed that the driver's head had 'bottomed out' the airbag i.e. there was insufficient pressure in the airbag to prevent the head from contacting the steering wheel through the deflated airbag material. The head of the passenger dummy also bottomed out the airbag against the dashboard, owing to insufficient inflation of th airbag and inadequate restraint for larger statures by the front passenger seatbelt load-limiter. Ford have shown improved performance from the airbags fitted to the latest Mustang, with bottoming-out avoided. However, the frontal offset test was not repeated and the scores reflect the performance seen in the original test. In the full-width rigid barrier test, protection of the driver was good apart from the chest, protection of which was adequate. However, the rear seat passenger slipped under the lap portion of the seatbelt (a phenomenon known as 'submarining') and the score for the knee, femur and pelvis body region was penalised and protection was rated as poor. Protection of the chest was also rated as poor as the rear seatbelt (which has neither pre-tensioners nor load-limiters) showed an excessively high tensile force in the test. Dummy readings of head deceleration indicated weak protection of the head for the rear passenger. In the side barrier test, the Mustang scored full points with good protection of all critical body areas. Even in the more severe side pole test, protection of the chest was adequate and that of other body regions was good. Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated a marginal level of protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision. A geometric assessment of rear seats indicated poor whiplash protection in these seating positions. The latest Mustang has an autonomous emergency braking system as standard. The system performed well in tests of its functionality at the low speeds typical of city driving at which many whiplash accidents occur. However, the system did not qualify for points as the car's passive whiplash protection was inadequate.

CHILD OCCUPANT
Comments
For the impact tests, the 10 year dummy was sat on a booster cushion. Owing to limited rear space the results of the dynamic tests on the 10 year dummy were done in a separate test. In the frontal offset test, protection of the 10 year dummy was rated as at least adequate. However, the shoulder belt slipped between the clavicle and the upper arm and the score for the dummy in this test was penalised. Protection of the 6 year dummy, sat in a high-back booster, was rated as good and adequate for the head and neck respectively but dummy readings of chest deceleration indicated marginal chest protection. In the side barrier test, dummy readings indicated good protection, apart from the head of the 10 year dummy. The head bottomed out the side curtain airbag, making contact, through the deflated airbag material, with the trim on the C pillar. Consequently, all points were lost for the 10 year dummy in this test. The front passenger airbag can be automatically disabled to allow a rearward-facing restraint to be used in that seating position. The information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag met Euro NCAP's requirements.

PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION
Comments
The Mustang has an 'active' bonnet. Sensors in the bumper detect when a pedestrian has been struck and actuators lift the bonnet,
creating more space to the hard structures in the engine bay. Ford demonstrated that the system worked robustly for a variety of pedestrian statures and over a range of speeds and, accordingly, the tests were performed in the raised (deployed) position. Test results were good over almost the entire bonnet surface. Protection of the pelvic region was poor in all areas tested but the bumper provided good protection to pedestrians' legs and scored maximum points in Euro NCAP's tests. The autonomous emergency braking system can detect pedestrians as well as other vehicles and performed well in tests of this functionality.

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