Pedestrian Safety, Streetcars, and 1970's Subaru Experiments.

"Berang" (berang) 08/31/2015 at 15:16 • Filed to: subaru

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If you look at old photos of streetcars, you will often see many of them fitted with a “fender” a grate like apparatus jutting out in front of the streetcar. If somebody ran out in front of the streetcar they would be knocked over by and fall on top of the fender - instead of getting run over by the tram’s wheels. Subaru apparently saw something in this device...

Watch the video below which shows some of Subaru’s crash testing through the years - and you’ll see a trolley-fender like device spring out of the front bumper of a 1970s subaru and futilely try catch a falling pedestrian crash test dummy.

Unsurprisingly the automotive implentation of the trolley-style fender never made it to market. But at least they tried.

Jcarr > Berang 08/31/2015 at 15:22

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Basically a cow-catcher for people. Nice.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Berang 08/31/2015 at 15:26

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Someone in Latin America tried to design the ultimate pedestrian safe car back in the 50s or 60s and came up with something very goofy looking. I think it was featured on Jalopnik, and that the designer was a priest or some such. Sadly, I haven’t found it. In lieu of that, here’s a contemporary Japanese pedestrian safety test car.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Berang 08/31/2015 at 15:28

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Found it:

http://jalopnik.com/120785/worlds-…