Its said that cars are “weaker” because they’re now made from a softer material proper to receive impact, thus providing safety to the driver. How will safety work with cybertruck’s 30x ‘ultrahard’ stainless steel when crashing?

Question

Its said that cars are “weaker” because they’re now made from a softer material proper to receive impact, thus providing safety to the driver. How will safety work with cybertruck’s 30x ‘ultrahard’ stainless steel when crashing?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief, modern cars are WAY safer than decades-old cars. Modern cars have stronger frames and stronger internal occupant protection cages, plus crumple zones that give way and safely absorb energy upon impact. Older cars have heavier external sheet metal, but their occupant compartments are far more easily compromised in the event of a collision and they are far less effective at safely dissipating energy bc they lack crumple zones.

For anecdotal proof, ask an extrication specialist (think jaws of life) who regularly has to cut into the occupant compartments of crashed vehicles to remove injured or dead people. They’ll tell you that cutting into older cars is way easier bc the steel is softer.

For a crash test, see https://youtu.be/TikJC0x65X0.