Vehicle safety at Audi: When milliseconds count
missing translation: fa.article-intro.reading-time – 10/22/2025
Audi crashes vehicles every day at the vehicle safety center. The findings are applied to passenger and pedestrian protection, among other things.
Audi crashes vehicles every day at the vehicle safety center. The findings are applied to passenger and pedestrian protection, among other things.
Mr. Schuller, more than 100 employees crash Audi models every day at the Audi vehicle safety center. How quickly is data actually transmitted when a crash occurs?
Most of the relevant measurement data is generated in less than half a second. That is the time frame in which the collision takes place. In the first few milliseconds, the signals travel at lightning speed from the sensors under the vehicle’s outer skin to the centrally located, protected airbag control unit. That is the brain of integral vehicle safety. There, the algorithm uses additional sensor data from the interior to decide whether to activate restraint systems such as seat belts and airbags. The control unit also transmits signals to switch off the drive system and to activate connected functions such as the emergency call. Hardly anything can be seen on the outside at this point, although complex processes are already taking place inside the vehicle.
Andreas Schuller, Head of Vehicle Safety Testing at Audi
How do the safety systems in the interior interact?
Technically speaking, energy is dissipated through the deformation of the vehicle structure with the aim of preserving the survival space for the occupants as effectively as possible. The seat belts tighten and the airbags inflate so that they are ready in time to protect the occupants if they are thrown forward in a frontal crash. This so-called forward displacement is what our crash test dummies are subjected to during testing. After less than half a second, it’s all over – the hazard warning lights are activated, and we secure the collided vehicle. In that moment it is quiet in the crash arena; all you can hear is the connection to the rescue control center, which was established automatically. The extensive measurement data from the vehicle, dummies, and the collision partner, along with high-speed footage from this time range that is imperceptible to the naked eye, are all crucial for the technical development work. That’s what we focus on.
Employees prepare the measurement technology with precision before every crash test.
Employees prepare the measurement technology with precision before every crash test.
How many tests does an Audi model undergo from simulation to production release?
A large vehicle project such as the Audi A6 e-tron with its variants, which is sold worldwide, involves around 80,000 passive safety simulations. On top of that, there are around 190 real crash tests carried out across all stages of development up to the release. These are necessary both for legal approval and for validating the simulations. We perform these tests in our vehicle safety center. The integrated crash arena measures 50 by 50 meters with no obstructing pillars, allowing two vehicles each traveling at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour to collide head-on or at an angle. The ceiling is designed as a truss structure to span this distance. We also conduct what are known as sled tests. This is a specialized testing system where specific vehicle components such as seats, seat belts, and airbags are tested in reinforced car bodies without crashing the entire vehicle. This helps us minimize the number of full-vehicle crash tests.
What types of dummies and how many are used in the crash tests?
The vehicle safety center uses more than 60 crash test dummies of various types – from 18-month-old toddlers to adults weighing over 100 kilograms. The highly sophisticated Thor dummies are equipped with up to 150 sensors that collect pertinent data during the tests. Child dummies for different age groups are also used. For pedestrian safety, there are additional test dummies for head, leg, and hip impacts. Our team of experts in the dummy laboratory takes care of these very complex measuring devices.
Measuring dummies are in the car for every crash.
Measuring dummies are in the car for every crash.
The focus of your work is passive safety. What is meant by active safety?
Active safety aims to prevent accidents – for example through driver assistance systems. Passive safety begins when an accident is unavoidable. It then becomes a matter of minimizing the consequences and supporting rescue and recovery. Our shared primary goal is Vision Zero: no serious injuries, no fatalities. The objective is to prevent life-threatening situations. Beyond that, vehicle safety development also addresses specific types of injuries identified in accident data collected by our Audi Accident Research Unit (AARU).