Safety

Road safety is one of the most important concerns for us and our customers. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the risk of being injured in a road accident has fallen substantially Nevertheless, CARE statistics indicate that were still 43,000 deaths and 1.8 million injuries in road accidents in the EU in 2005. Nowadays, the market calls for vehicles with more and more comprehensive safety features. In the development of vehicle safety systems, the Volkswagen Group has traditionally made accident prevention, occupant protection and pedestrian safety its top priorities. We combine active and passive safety measures in a holistic approach to safety.

Prevention is better than a cure
Active safety includes dynamic handling systems such as the anti-lock brake system (ABS) and the electronic stabilisation program (ESP). The Audi accident database indicates that ESP alone saves lives in four out of five accidents. Volkswagen is supporting the EU objective of halving road accident fatalities by the year 2010 compared with 2000. In our opinion, this will only be possible with ESP. Active safety features also include the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system. ACC is an assistance system that will in future automatically keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead within a certain speed range.

On the safe side with passive safety features
Should an accident occur despite these assistance systems, passive safety measures such as targeted deformation of the bodywork and airbag systems minimise the consequences for occupants and other road users. When it comes to occupant protection, children deserve special attention. Some 50 percent of the children who die in road accidents are killed because appropriate child restraint systems were not correctly fitted or used. According to European studies, more than half of child seats are fitted or used incorrectly. In the Passat, Volkswagen now offers an entirely new generation of integrated child seats. These are easy to use and can be fully folded away into the rear seat if necessary. The standardised Isofix mount offers a safe connection to the bodywork for portable child seats.

Smart safety technology
Driver assistance systems and car-to-car networking technologies interface with both safety and traffic management issues. Initial systems of this type are already in use. The ADC (Automatic Distance Control) system of the Passat features an integrated pre-crash braking function that marks the onset of the third computer-aided vehicle safety revolution, following the airbag and ESP.

Safety accolades
Volkswagen Group vehicles have an excellent reputation for safety and reliability. The latest models from Volkswagen and Audi have recently received a number of awards for their safety features in the USA and Europe.