Frontal Protection System

A Frontal Protection System (FPS) is a device fitted to the front end of a vehicle to protect both pedestrians and cyclists who are involved in the unfortunate event of a front end collision with a vehicle.

After public concerns about the safety of Bull-Bars led to governmental pressure on SUV and 4x4 vehicle manufacturers, the Transport Research Laboratory developed a series of tests designed to ensure that minimum safety standards are met on vehicles fitted with them. This test has now become embodied within European Directive 2005/66/EC coming into force in May 2007.

Effectively outlawing traditional metal fabricated Bull Bars; the new legislation has led to the development of more pedestrian friendly products. Various manufacturers have undertaken development using softer, energy absorbing materials.

Design and terminology

The terminology of Frontal Protection System has been derived from three terms:

# Frontal, adj. Of, relating to, directs toward or situated at the front.
# Protection, n. The action of protecting or the state of being protected, or a thing that protects.
# System, n. A set of things working together as a mechanism or a network.

An FPS is attached to the front of a vehicle like a bull bar but is made of a technical composite of energy absorbing materials. The composite technology offers an interim solution to vehicle designers in assisting them to meet EC Directive 2003/102/EC Phase 2.

Testing recently carried out by MIRA, one of the UK’s leading testing facilities, has proved that the latest development of a vehicle Frontal Protection System can make many 4 x 4 vehicles safer in the unfortunate event of front end collisions with pedestrians and cyclists. If fitted to current large 4 x 4 vehicles, calculations based on these tests show that an FPS would save lives and a considerable number of serious pedestrian injuries throughout Europe and beyond.

ee also

*Pedestrian safety through vehicle design

External links

* http://www.frontalprotectionsystems.eu
* [http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/directives/vehicles/2005_66_ce.html European Directive]
* [http://www.vca.gov.uk/ Vehicle Certification Authority (VCA)]
* [http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_control/documents/homepage/dft_home_page.hcsp Department of transport]
* [http://www.trl.co.uk/ Transport Research Laboratory (TRA)]
* [http://www.euroncap.com/ EuroNCAP]
* [http://www.racfoundation.org/ RAC Foundation]
* [http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/index.htm Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)]
* [http://www.thatcham.org/home.jsp Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre (Thatcham)]
* [http://www.uk.tuv.com/web/news_&_events/articles/Frontal%20Protection.htm TUV International UK]