Passenger compartment integrity

The first, -40 to 170 °C, covers the requirements in the passenger compartment, climate control system, and powertrain applications. The sensors are mostly based on negative thermal coefficient resistors (NTCs). Other technologies are capable of meeting the technical requirements in this temperature range (PTCs, Pt 1000 resistors, integrated circuits with linear outputs (KTY-series) or copper or nickel resistors) but none of these has a major market share so far. 

Crashworthiness refers to the ability of a vehicle to withstand an accident without intrusion of or reduction in the integrity of the passenger compartment. When a crash occurs, not only is it important to minimize the second crash, it is also important to ensure that the passenger compartment stays closed and retains its shape. The idea is to keep occupants inside a protected zone during a crash. Passengers thrown from a vehicle face a high risk of injury and death compared to those who stay inside. 

Crashworthiness and integrity of passenger compartments permit race car drivers to survive crashes at very high speeds. Special restraint features in race cars, including helmet restraints that protect the neck, have added to race driver safety. Many of the features tested in racing vehicles find their way into commercial vehicles. Crashworthiness has improved in most cars over the years. Improved design features have contributed to the reduction in crash injuries and occupant deaths. 

In-mould coating should be mentioned here for completeness. This technique is widely used for integral skin foam components in PUR, principally in the passenger compartment. It is also used to prime SMC parts, as an aid to producing a Class A finish on the topcoat. The RTM methacrylic resin panels of the Alfa Romeo SZ were in-mould coated to a Class A finish. As this was a specialist vehicle and no other painted panels were involved, the usual problems of reduced production rate and poor colour matching did not apply. 

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