Opel Astra Safest Compact Sedan in Europe

Press Release

SAFETEC system helps prevent accidents and increase crashworthiness

• Euro NCAP awards five stars for passenger protection
• Accident prevention with new technology vital part of safety concept
• Extensive safety package protects front and rear seat passengers
• Smart design details reduce repair costs

GM/Opel engineers' objective during the development of the third generation Astra was clear: achieve the highest possible level of active and passive safety. They successfully accomplished this goal thanks to the extensive SAFETEC safety system and a range of innovations with which the new Astra sets standards even beyond its class. The high standard of passive safety has once again been confirmed: after conducting crash tests, the consumer protection organization Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) awarded the Astra the highest rating of five stars for passenger safety. With a total of 34 points, Euro NCAP classifies the Opel bestseller the safest sedan in the compact (small family) car segment. The five-door Astra was also awarded four stars and 39 points for excellent child protection. Euro NCAP's partners include the European Commission, the German, Dutch and British transport ministries and the German automobile club ADAC.

Carl-Peter Forster, President of General Motors Europe and responsible for all of the world's largest automaker's European products: "We are very pleased to receive this recognition of GM's commitment to safety management. However, our good performance in the crash tests is only one part of our intensive development work in the area of safety. Preventing accidents through advanced chassis concepts such as IDSPlus or innovations like Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) is just as important to us. Our research in the area of passive safety is focused on best possible protection of passengers in all accident situations."

Hans H. Demant, Chairman and Managing Director, Adam Opel AG and Vice President Engineering, GM Europe: "Passive safety is very important. But in practice what really matters is how comfortable the driver feels and how well his car assists him in dangerous situations. It is also important that technological advances are kept affordable, because the best innovations are not of much use if hardly anyone can afford them."

Numerous chassis innovations for enhanced active safety

Building on the third generation Astra's standard IDS chassis (Interactive Driving System), the adaptive IDSPlus system sets new standards in driving dynamics. By networking all the chassis systems' sensors and control units, GM/Opel engineers were able to realize an integrated chassis control for the first time. The innovative network includes ESPPlus, ABS and the electronic damping control CDC (Continuous Damping Control). Opel introduced CDC, a state-of-the-art chassis technology which has only been available in the luxury class and exclusive sport cars to now, into Europe's largest market segment for the first time.

In addition, GM/Opel engineers have developed further features and functions that are valuable to everyday operation and which provide even more active safety, including:

• Understeer Control Logic (UCL): If understeer occurs, speed is first reduced by closing the throttle and then by braking both front wheels. When the ESP control range is reached, braking pressure decreases at the outer front wheel and simultaneously increases at the inner rear wheel until the car is back on track again.

• Hill Start Assist (HSA): The system enables a comfortable start on uphill slopes, preventing the car from rolling backwards without requiring use of the handbrake. After releasing the brake pedal, brake pressure is maintained for 1.5 seconds, giving the driver enough time to select a gear and accelerate. The brake pressure is released as soon as the car starts to move forward.

• Trailer Stability Program: The system monitors the yaw movements of the car-trailer combination. If the set limit is exceeded, the car and trailer are slowed by throttle closure and brake application until stability is restored.

• Deflation Detection System (DDS): Wheel-speed sensors activate a warning lamp if tire pressure has been lost. The system detects loss of pressure when a tire's circumference decreases, which raises that wheel's rpm over those of the other wheels. The warning signal is triggered when the pressure loss reaches approximately 30 percent. Since the DDS system does not require special tire sensors, it supplements the tire pressure control system if, for example, winter tires without TPMS sensors are fitted.

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS): This system recognizes deviations in correct tire pressure with an exactness of up to 0.3 bar using a special sensor in each wheel. The signals are sent to a central receiver in the passenger compartment and the actual pressure is shown on the on-board computer display in the cockpit. The driver is warned if tire pressure drops below a given level. TPMS integrates the DDS function for the first time worldwide.

Premiere in the compact class: Adaptive, steering-linked AFL headlight system

GM/Opel engineers also gave very high priority to making optimal visibility and lighting conditions under all circumstances a fundamental element of active accident prevention. As a result, Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), which had its world premiere in the Signum and in the Vectra, is available in the Astra for the first time. The Astra´s steering-linked AFL headlamp system with bi-xenon lamps offers functions such as dynamic curve light and highway light. With dynamic curve light, the headlamps swivel depending on speed, steering and vehicle yaw rate to follow a curve in the road, thereby making night-time driving on country roads safer and less strenuous. When a car is traveling fast on a straight road, the automatic height adjuster ensures that the road is illuminated further ahead without blinding other road users. Automatic Lighting Control (ALC), automatic low beam light, also makes an important contribution to active safety.

Extensive SAFETEC system for active and passive safety

The importance Opel places on collision avoidance and passive safety is underlined by the extensive SAFETEC system in the new Astra. This elaborate safety package is based on the interaction of all standard active and passive safety features. These include:

• IDS chassis (Interactive Driving System) with Electronic Stability Program ESPPlus and traction control TCPlus
• ABS with brake assist, Cornering Brake Control CBC and four disk brakes
• Front and thorax/pelvis side airbags for driver and front seat passenger, head curtain airbags in front and for outer rear seats
• Active head restraints in front, height-adjustable
• Three height-adjustable head restraints in rear
• Three-point safety belts for all seats, height-adjustable in front
• Safety belt force limiter and pyrotechnical belt tensioner in front
• High-strength safety body with crash boxes and sensors
• Acoustic warning signal and control light for unfastened seat belts in front
• Side impact protection
• Safety steering column (height and reach-adjustable)
• Automatic release safety pedals PRS (Pedal Release System)
• Mountings for child's seat system ISOFIX on outer rear seats
• Child safety catch on rear doors
• Automatic activation of hazard warning blinkers and unlocking of doors after airbag or belt tensioner is triggered

New, large side airbags in the front seats that protect the thorax and pelvis areas of driver and front passenger are an integral part of the SAFETEC system. They supplement the head curtain air bags on the left and right in the roof pillar and both front air bags. A total of six crash sensors signal an collision to the electronic control unit, which ensures the airbags are triggered at the proper time according to the severity of the impact. The sophisticated sensor technology also enables more precise differentiation between serious collisions and minor accidents, in which deploying of the airbag would not provide any additional protection to the safety belt system. Unnecessary replacement costs can thus be avoided. The same applies to the airbag control module, which runs a self-check following a collision and shows if it has to be replaced depending on the severity of the impact.

The Astra has five three-point safety belts. The safety belts in the front are height-adjustable and have belt tensioners and force limiters. A belt warning system monitors if the front seat passengers have fastened their seat belts, as one of the main reasons for severe injuries during accidents is still unfastened seat belts. A blinking light in the instrument panel and an acoustic signal remind the driver to fasten his/her seatbelt.

The optional seat occupancy recognition prevents the front and side airbags on the front passenger side from being activated if the front passenger seat is not occupied or if a child's seat equipped with a transponder is mounted. A control light in the instrument panel blinks continuously as soon as the system detects the child's seat. Only then is the airbag deactivated and a small child can ride up front. ISOFIX mounting equipment is included in delivery with the seat occupancy recognition for the front passenger seat. Both outer rear seats come standard ex-works with ISOFIX mounting equipment for corresponding children's seats.

Passive safety measures for Astra passengers also include five standard head restraints. The front seats are equipped with active head restraints, which reduce the risk of whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision by automatically raising and moving forward, thereby reducing the distance between the head and the head restraint during a collision. The Pedal Release System (PRS) offers additional protection for the driver. In the event of a severe head-on collision, the brake and clutch pedals uncouple, reducing the risk of foot injuries.

When airbags are deployed during a collision, they automatically activate the hazard warning blinkers. Opel's optional communication system OnStar automatically places an SOS call transmitting the car's location when airbags are triggered.

Defined load paths absorb collision energy

The new Astra's crash performance, a result of Opel safety research guidelines, was also optimized. In the event of a head-on collision, the energy created is absorbed by three load paths and dispersed through the extremely stable safety cell. The upper load path is the wheelhouse brace which directs the energy to the A-pillars and roof frame at waist-line level. The main load path is the front frame, through which energy is conducted to the vehicle floor and stable side sills.

The hydro-formed suspension subframe with six-fold connection to the front frame is supported by the reinforced center tunnel and forms the third load path.

The chassis structure is also made thorough use of for energy absorption in the event of a rear-end collision. The body members act as the load path while the stable C-pillars and wheel-arch protectors help to absorb as much energy as possible. The fuel tank is located in front of the rear axle. High-strength steel B-pillars, reinforcements in the doors and stable side sills help to minimize the effects of a side impact.

The foundation for all of these features is a body shell, which is extremely deformation-stable and rigid. It forms the basis of the comprehensive SAFETEC protection system. Compared to the already very rigid previous model, GM/Opel engineers were able to increase the flexural strength of the new Astra's body by 52 percent and the transverse flexural rigidity by 47 percent.

Smart construction details reduce repair costs

In the event of less serious front and rear end collisions, the Astra's repair-friendly design ensures lower repair costs and shorter service time. The front bumper cross member made of special aluminum alloy extruded profile is bolted to the body via high-strength steel crash boxes. Low-cost sectional repairs or adjustments can also be made thanks to the three-part upper vehicle front design.

The robust side rails in individually replaceable flange plates made of high-strength bake hardening steel meet at the rear end. The energy-absorbing aluminum cross member is fastened to the flange plates. The Astra owner also benefits from this clever concept in terms of the much more favorable insurance classification in comparison to the previous model.