Press Release
Sun.Star Motoring
December 23, 2010

Under the stylish exterior of the new Ford Fiesta is a powerful body structure that can protect occupants in the event of a collision. More than 55 percent of the body structure is high-strength steel, including dual-phase steel and ultra-high-strength aluminized Boron steel.

The Fiesta's shape is designed to provide added protection: the car is both rigid and stiff torsionally, surrounding occupants with a secure, safe cabin.

Although its body structure has been beefed up, Fiesta is still lightweight. Safety improvements have not compromised fuel economy or efforts to limit CO2 emissions.

“Safety is a very important attribute for the new Fiesta, but achieving real weight reduction was another key objective,” said Bernd Liesenfelder, body engineering manager for Fiesta. “High-strength steels, both cold- and hot-formed, were the key to delivering the light weight and high strength we need for structural efficiency. The material we use on Fiesta set new benchmarks in the small car segment.”

Structural strength for safety
Ford’s safety strategy employs high-strength steels to reinforce areas of the vehicle that are essential for crash protection. These include the floor structure, front rails and beams, and an ultra-rigid, integrated bodyside reinforcement ring to protect against side impact.

High-strength materials are used to create a stiff B-pillar section and a stiff rocker section fore and aft. This disperses the force of a side impact collision laterally to the opposite side of the car via chassis cross members. The integrated bodyside reinforcement ring also helps dissipate the force of front and rear impacts, and resists intrusion in case of a side impact.

“Safety performance is about more than just counting airbags,” said Joerg Beyer, chief carline engineer for the Fiesta. “At Ford, creating a very strong body structure to protect occupants comes first. With a robust structure, we can optimize our Intelligent Protection System to provide a tailored, protective cabin.”

Crash performance was evaluated using advanced computer simulation technology before real crash tests took place. “Simulation allows us to determine where performance issues may need to be addressed in the development stage, not in prototype,” Beyer added.

Even more high-strength steel
More high-strength steel can be found in other parts of the Fiesta’s body structure. Dual-phase steel front frame rails and side rails feature structural actuation points – called trigger points – to initiate predictable collapse in crush zones. By forming the “triggers”, this hardens the dual-phase material giving it the unique ability to both absorb and resist the force of an impact.

The extensive use of dual-phase steels allowed the Ford body engineering team to develop new techniques. Since the dual-phase steels gain strength after stamping, the team worked to quantify how much added strength contributed to the overall body structure. Defining the ultimate strength of the assembly helped Ford’s sophisticated crash simulation computers to accurately predict, or 'map', how the components would perform in the event of a crash.

To help support the use of high strength steels, advanced manufacturing techniques were employed, including the use of new robotic welding heads.

Intelligent Protection System

As part of Ford’s Intelligent Protection System (IPS), all Fiesta models are equipped with a driver-side airbag. The Sport model includes a passenger-side airbag as standard equipment.

Part of Ford’s IPS technology includes extensive airbag sensor calibration testing. Engineers worked to ensure that the airbags are activated quickly and deployed in appropriate circumstances.

Three-point safety belts with dual-stage digressive load-limiting pre-tensioners are standard for both front seat occupants. In the rear, three-point safety belts are provided for the two outboard passengers. The retractors pull the safety belt tightly to position the occupant ideally for airbag effectiveness. Dual-stage digressive load limiting features allow for a slight reduction in belt tension to reduce the possibility of a chest injury in the event of a crash.

Adjustable head rests optimize whiplash protection and front seats feature an anti-submarine design.

For additional driver safety, a special carpet underlay called a crash pad is placed between the floor panel and carpet to minimize impact to the lower leg during a crash. A safety belt reminder system is standard and reminds the driver to buckle up before driving.

Visit Ford Pampanga today located along Jose Abad Santos Avenue,City, City of San Fernando with telephone +63 45 961 2888; Ford Libis along 186 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City with contact number +63 2 637 2044; Ford Subic at Subic Bay Gateway Park, Phase I Commercial Area, Subic Bay Freeport Zone with contact number +63 47 250 3673; Ford Cabanatuan located at Sumacab Este, Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City with contact number +63 44 463 9660 and Ford Dagupan at Lucao District, Dagupan City with contact number +63 75 522 2222.