Pedestrian Accidents

In Europe 30% of all automobile fatalities are caused to pedestrians getting struck by vehicles. Even in the US, where it seems EVERYONE drives EVERYWHERE, 15% of all traffic fatalities are to pedestrians. As a result, the EU has mandated that new cars (to be fully phased in my 2010) be able to hit a pedestrian at 30mph, and in general, have a sufficient design as not to kill them. This presents a challange similar to that of the 1970's in the US, when automakers were regulated to have 5mph bumpers on their vehicles. The designs of new cars are aerodynamic, and tailered to the driver and passangers. This new law will not only affect cars in the EU, but also in America, as it is too costly to develop two different versions of the same vehicle. Sports cars and Minivans are two of the toughest segments to make this work. As of now, companies have been raising the hood approx 3" off the engine to provide a crumple zone for a pedestrian body. Jaguar is taking a technological approach by having a hood that rises on impact, and would possibly deploy an airbag outside the car. This all seems kind of ridiculous, and nobody wants to see a new version on the 1970's chrome bumber reappear (the best idea designers/engineers had to make a car sustain a 5mph crash). Perhaps in the short term design my suffer, but as technology improves and this becomes the new standard, engineers and design teams will figure out possilbe ways to have pedestrian safe cars that are stylish.