Why are automakers making there vehicles like if they were made of paper?

Question

why are automakers making there vehicles like if they were made of paper,they call it "crumple zone". If they are in one accident they are either totalled or need expensive repairs,the vehicle is in the shop for weeks....lights and grill break like glass and the panels get wrinkled up and bent like if it was paper. not like the cars in the 90s where they would get hit and barely get a dent, still run even with parts missing...I thought we would be advanced from that by now but we went backwards.... hope some of u understand what lm trying to say....

Answer 1

Because not only are the public clamoring for higer MPG ratings, the government is mandating higher MPG ratings.

If they still made cars with good solid steel carriagework and full frames, they'd be to heavy to even approach the mandated MPG levels.

Doc

Answer 2

Crash tests have shown that people are much safer in cars with crumple zones.  Though the car takes more damaged less people will die.  Crumple zones are usually located in the front and back of a vehicle and actually add more protection.  In a crash the space of the engine compartment or trunk will compact and dissipate some of the force.  Therefore the people inside the car will absorb less force and be in much less danger.

Answer 3

i think we know what your saying,their trying to make cars lighter to save on fuel but it isn't helping,and they say the newer designs are safer but they aren't,i would rather have a ten year old vehicle as a new one now days,but its cheaper for the car company's to make them like this,and they do have to meet certain standards,but they don't always pass them,some of the newer ones are pretty safe,but others aren't yet,we are going back wards on a lot of things like gas mileage,some of the older cars got better than the newer ones do,with all our technology and we cant do better than this,i drive  older vehicles ,they are safer i think than some of the newer ones are,i have one that will crumple if it ever gets hit hard enough,it will total it,other than that the rest are fairly safe ones to drive and still economical ,good luck.

Answer 4

The insurance is more worried about people getting hurt - not cars surviving the accident.  Most people don't care because they carry insurance to pay for totaled car.

My wife was hit by a car (she was walking) and now she has head injuries.  Believe me it is better to sacrifice your car over safety.

Good Luck...

Answer 5

Wrong, sir! Crush zone tech was up and running hard in the late eighties and is getting more advanced every year. Remember the Chevy Corsica? It was an early '90's car (or, sh*t-box) that was falling apart as it was being unloaded at the local dealers. Of course vehicles today sustain horrific damage when compared to cars of say the late '60's but more people walk away from vehicle accidents now than ever before. We all love old cars but in reality they were all ill handling, hard starting, fuel slurping, death boxes. All had hard metal edges inches from vital organs and body parts, sternum crushing steering columns, no anti-instrusion beams in the doors, brakes that were theoretical at best and totally unreliable engines and transmissions. In the 'good ole days' you wouldn't even THINK about buying a used car with 100,000 miles on the clock -- it would have almost totally worn-out from top to bottom. Now, we get pi$$ed-off if a headlamp bulb burns out before 100,000 miles. Bottom line -- cars are expendable in a collision and today's boring, bland jellybean shaped cars are much, much better than those of the past -- even the '90's.

Answer 6

Also remember the less weight the better the gas mileage......