[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Flieger

...or they have evolved the side-impact bar into a fully-armored car. The door is now bulletproof

If there were fewer airbags and such, cars would weigh less and be more efficient as a result: witness the Lotus Exige- performance and a clean environment.

On AutoLine Detroit on PBS last weekend they talked about NASCAR and Dow foam product placement. Look it up if you don't watch it already, a good program.

NASCAR addresses foam issue by ordering changes
http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/04/04/kharvick.gbiffle.foam/index.html


...............and I found this too.

Energy busting foam opens door for lighter designs
http://machinedesign.com/ContentItem/69956/Energybustingfoamopensdoorforlighterdesigns.aspx

DaimlerChrysler engineers dropped packaging space of side impact countermeasures used in the new smart fortwo by 40% thanks to Impaxx energy absorbing (EA) foam from Dow Automotive, Auburn Hills, Mich.

Compared to other EA countermeasures such as extruded polypropylene (ePP) and injection molded plastic parts which typically weigh in at about 30 gm, Impaxx parts were half the weight with no loss in energy absorption. The EA foam also meets the internal side impact requirements of the Mercedes Car Group as well as European ECE-R 95 and US FMVSS 214 standards.

Weight and packaging space savings will help the smart fortwo get better gas mileage and give designers greater design flexibility for in-door conveniences including larger door pockets. Impaxx foam can be assembled to the door trim easily by pushing it onto a cross rib feature without need for heat stakes, tape, or adhesive.

Dow Automotive provided DaimlerChrysler engineers with comprehensive conceptual part design as well as CAD and CAE support including correlated material models and fast prototyping. Prototype parts were of production quality so last-minute design changes needed no additional tooling costs. This was key to helping DaimlerChrysler engineers meet a challenging vehicle development timeline.

Impaxx EA foam and parts are manufactured in Europe and delivered to the smart production site located in Hambach, France.