Mercedes-Benz Leads the Way with World's First X-Ray Crash Test Video

Mar 14, 2024 09:49 PM EDT

MERCEDES BENZ PHOTO OF RED CAR PAKED — (Photo : PEXELS/MIKE BIRD)

Mercedes-Benz recently made history by partnering with the Fraunhofer Society to carry out the pioneering X-ray crash test of a real car at the Ernst Mach Institute in Freiburg. This groundbreaking endeavor revealed previously unseen internal deformation processes during crashes, offering invaluable insights for enhancing vehicle safety. This milestone achievement solidifies the automaker's position as the trailblazer in conducting X-ray crash tests for the benefit of automotive safety.

Mercedes-Benz Pioneers X-Ray Crash Test

According to StarCarSifu, Mercedes-Benz, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer-Institute for High-Speed Dynamics and the EMI (Ernst Mach Institute) in Freiburg, has achieved a remarkable feat by conducting the world's first X-ray crash test video featuring a real car.

This groundbreaking demonstration, which took place at the EMI research crash facility, showcased the utilization of high-speed X-ray technology to capture highly dynamic internal deformation processes during a side impact test.

The innovative use of a linear accelerator as an X-ray camera, along with the presence of a specially designed SID II dummy with female anatomy on board, provided unprecedented visibility into previously concealed deformations, ultimately enabling precise analysis for enhancing vehicle safety.

The Head of Fraunhofer EMI's Crash Test Center, Dr. Malte Kurfiß, emphasized the importance of the successful X-ray crash test video. He talked about its role in improving technology for recording information that was previously unavailable.

The innovative application of high-speed X-ray imaging is consistent with Fraunhofer EMI's mission to make dynamic processes visible, which will ultimately lead to improvements in vehicle safety. Furthermore, the world's first X-ray crash test was revolutionary, as Prof. Dr. Paul Dick, Director of Vehicle Safety at Mercedes-Benz AG, highlighted.

This highlights the importance of X-ray technology in offering never-before-seen insights into vehicle dynamics during crashes. In addition to providing insight into internal vehicle operations, the generated X-ray photographs offer a chance to enhance the model quality of digital prototypes, promoting ongoing advancements in safety regulations.

The Technology, How It Works

CarScoops reported Mercedes-Benz has been working to improve X-ray technology for crash testing for many years, hoping to get precise, detailed pictures of the complex dynamics at play. The collaboration for this project overcome the difficulty of capturing sharp images during the brief period of a car crash. The result was the development of a high-speed camera that can take up to 1,000 images per second.

With the help of this ground-breaking invention, researchers can now produce slow-motion X-ray videos, giving them unparalleled insight into the intricacies of an accident incident. Utilizing a powerful radiation source, Mercedes-Benz achieved a significant breakthrough in capturing the groundbreaking X-ray crash test video.

The 1 kHz linear accelerator, boasting an impressive nine megaelectron volts of photon energy, enables the generation of X-ray pulses lasting mere microseconds. This high-energy radiation penetrates the vehicle and is captured by a flat detector positioned beneath the vehicle, functioning as a digital image receiver. The resulting grayscale image, formed as each pixel registers the varying levels of radiation passing through the vehicle, serves as a valuable resource for safety researchers seeking to glean insights from the intricate dynamics of a crash.