Automakers work extensively to ensure occupant safety, and that means crash testing several cars. In the case of supercars, a company like Koenigsegg needs to do things a little differently.
Apex One published a video to YouTube on Friday that detailed the process that goes into crash testing the company's $2 million hypercars to ensure they meet regulations around the world. Needless to say, a company with far smaller operations than a major automaker has to find ways to meet these regulations at a cheaper cost in terms of absolute dollars and number of cars crashed.
CEO Chrisitan von Koenigsegg and David Tugas, the company's homologation manager, explain the company's innovative process to essentially crash test the same car and abuse it multiple times. Since Koenigsegg would need to allocate basically a year's worth of production for various crash test needs (something it couldn't afford to do with years' long waiting lists), it has a single car for crash tests.
The company engineered and designed its carbon-fiber monocoque to withstand all the abuse and crashes federal regulations throw at the car. Thus, Koenigsegg simply fits new body parts, airbags, and interior components to the same monocoque chassis. The process ensures regular production continues smoothly as the company repairs the same car for the various crash tests. So far, the monocoque continues to hold its own. In the video, viewers will note it's an unfinished Regera hypercar that gets all of the abuse. The squeamish should look aware. It's hard to watch.
Crash test dummies are also put into the car to ensure proper airbag placement and behavior. Employees bash away at the car with hammers, and slam the doors and hood shut with all their strength. These simple tests help configure when the airbag should and should not deploy. The dummy car handles all of the tests very well.
Take a look at the process in the video above and be glad it's not your car, be it an exotic hypercar or the family truckster.