The Ariya is the all-electric crossover from Nissan scheduled that debuted in 2020. And the Japanese automaker has released video of the Ariya undergoing severe crash testing during its development.
At the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Japan, the Ariya underwent more than 400 tests from the early stages of development to market launch, including frontal-, side- and rear-impact collisions, as well as those that simulate accidents when pedestrians are on the road, with more than 100 data points monitored in each test.
Engineers from Nissan’s Passive Safety Evaluation Group measure the force of an impact on the vehicle’s body and structural components, as well as its effects on the driver and passengers via test dummies of various sizes and body types equipped with multiple sensors. And judging from the video, it looks like Nissan got the Ariya right when it comes to passenger safety.
What’s interesting to watch in the video is how the battery is protected in these crashes; Nissan engineers worked to ensure it retains its structural integrity without having the electrodes leak in a crash. Considering the fire hazard of these high-voltage batteries in a crash, it’s an important piece of engineering when it comes to any electric vehicle.
While the Nissan engineers speak Japanese, there are English subtitles for non-polyglots.
