If you’ve ever driven a bumper car in an amusement park, you’ll probably notice the bumper, a feature that has its eponymous name. Designed to absorb shocks, rubber bumpers protect residents of recreational bumper vehicles from harm. Similarly, the same can be said for passenger car bumpers, which have evolved dramatically since the vehicle first hit the road.
The major changes in federal regulations for bumpers began in model year 1973, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s federal motor vehicle safety standard, Standard No. 215, came into effect. The car manufacturer had to prove that their car could emerge from a 5 mph front collision without damage, which required design scrambling.
Even the legendary Lamborghini Count Toch The US model was not exempt and got a nose job that was widely considered a blasphemous asp against the iconic supercar. The ugly bumper was tied to the front of the counter to meet regulations. And it may be best if we all wiped that image from our collective memory.
The ugly side of bumper evolution
Standard No. 215 was not particularly popular as you might imagine, but there was no way around it. Ultimately, the car designer had to figure out what to do next. In some respects, it retreated them, and in other ways, regulations allowed new technologies to flourish.
“From a design perspective, prior to the 5 mph bumper method, mainstream car design trends continued to integrate bumpers into the overall theme. The bumpers were more inset and embedded, making up a large part of the overall graphics of the front end,” said Wayne Cherry, vice president of design at General Motors. In an interview with Haggerty. “The 5 mph bumper requirement has retreated the evolution of bumper design as an integral part of the design theme for nearly 20 years. It has also been influential in speeding up the development of flexible materials, integrating bumper design integration to a new level.”
Between 1973 and 1982, the car gained weight due to the addition of heavy bumpers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) then revised the standards for the bumper, and everything changed again. In 1983, regulatory guidelines dropped to 2.5 mph in the front and 1.5 mph in the corner.
“The bumper is a standard feature on every vehicle,” says Vince Garante, vice president of Jeep Design. “Today, they are cleverly hidden behind a layer of fascia for aesthetics and improved aerodynamics, along with cushioning and foam for slow impact protection. There are still some great examples of exposed bumpers like steel bumpers on Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators. These bumpers are not only functional, but also modular, allowing you to add winches, tow hooks, removable end caps, bull bars and even additional lighting.”
Today’s bumper
Jon Ruud, senior manager of safety performance engineering at Nissan Technical Center North America (Nissan R&D facility in Metro Detroit), says the bumpers may not be as obvious as before. But they are still at work. In a more advanced way, as engineers have learned more.
At Nissan, the company designs and tests the vehicle with a combination of three elements: (1) the plastic fascia, (2) high density energy absorbing foam, and (3) the lower metal bumper beam. This setup helps to minimize damage on slow bumps, while also providing protection in high-speed crashes.
“Safety standards are evolving, and our designs are evolving,” says Rood. “We’re always looking for ways to balance safety, durability and the look our customers expect. Even if traditional exposed metal bumpers aren’t showing up, the shock absorbing structure is still there to work when it matters.”
in Passionate diatribe Jalopnik Lamenting the end of the bumper, journalist Jason Torchinski says the bumpers don’t get the respect they deserve.
“Bumpers should be generous,” he says. “It should be something that can cause minor damage without even the damage not even noticeable, and it should be sacrificed itself as cheaply as possible to protect expensive bodywork painted. It should be made of material that can still look good with some scuffs and scratches and other small defects. So the black rubber bumper that many of us love to hate is actually the best bumper ever.”
Certainly, you need to appreciate the bumper. But I have to oppose him with those black rubber versions. Especially at Lamborghini Countach.
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