How to Make Small Cars Safe: Ep 121

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:08]Hello and welcome to the Auto Guide Show. This week we talk to Nissan about small car safety. In the product review, I discuss a highway focused SUV tire.

[00:00:19]And in the mailbag, we talk about the potential return of V8s to Formula 1.

[00:00:26]All right, welcome back. This week we have a special guest to talk vehicle safety. If you could just introduce yourself and what you do to all of our viewers and listeners.

[00:00:34]>> Uh hello. Uh my name is Prasad Balak Krishnan. I work for Nissan Motor Company in their R&D facility in uh Farmington Hills, Michigan. I'm the engineering manager in their safety uh performance group. uh where we uh uh work on vehicle crash safety, passive safety, and uh work on um making sure our our vehicles are meet the federal regulations and third party requirements for crash safety.

[00:01:05]>> Yeah. And there's some big news coming out with um your one of your more affordable models has just got a very high safety certification.

[00:01:15]>> Yes, that's true. That's the 2026 Centrum uh that we launched uh earlier this year or late last year. Um so yeah, we're extremely proud of the fact that uh we did receive the highest rating from IHS which is the insurance uh institute for high heavy highway safety.

[00:01:35]Uh they awarded us the top safety uh pick plus award. So, we're extremely uh excited and proud of that work, all of the work that went into that.

[00:01:47]>> Yeah. Those who uh maybe don't know, IHS is independent. It does its own safety regulations um not with government involvement. So, I always throw a little bit more weight behind their ratings because they're really just third party testing. And something like the the Sentra, a lot of people may think, okay, a big car or a very expensive car may get a high safety rating because there's lots of technology that can be stuffed in it at uh basically no no price um is is of any consequence. But with a Sentra, you got to keep it affordable.

[00:02:19]And it's not exactly a small vehicle.

[00:02:21]They they've grown in size, but how hard is it getting something like a Sentra that's at a specific price market to still achieve such a high rating?

[00:02:32]>> Uh it's it's hard, but it's uh you know, and we have some smart solutions developed over the years. We we've never been uh in our in in Nissan there's no written rule that just because something is uh small it doesn't deserve the same attention that a bigger car would uh would necessarily get. So our targets are not set based on that concept. So from the get-go for Sentra, our target was always to go get the uh DSP award and uh through a series of uh uh development that started at the at the very beginning at the uh planning stage uh through digital and through physical testing. We've applied smart solutions from uh from the body structure standpoint and also the uh restraint standpoint to get us there. and and in addition uh the crash avoidance uh ADAS and uh headlamp groups also uh were involved because they are that there's some criteria for those groups as well to uh to get that award.

[00:03:38]>> Yeah, active safety is a big one these days and we're seeing it standard in more and more vehicles especially at the more affordable end of the the market.

[00:03:46]So is that uh a situation of it's the technology itself's becoming more available and and lower price to put in vehicles or it's just since it's standard and everything the cost can be spread better than before.

[00:03:59]>> So I I can't speak to the cost of that because that's a different group that works works on that. But yes, I think the technology is getting more mature and available readily that uh that it's it's becoming easier to put it as standard equipment on a lot of our vehicles.

[00:04:18]>> Yeah. And the like how you said it's more mature. That's a it's a good way to describe it because some of these systems early on were very sort of analog. They were on off. things are getting so much more intuitive and I think consumers are getting more used to it and avoiding an accident is always better than getting in one no matter how safe a car is. So, it's good that they are using that as part of the safety standard because it's probably maybe not more important but I find it's just as important.

[00:04:47]>> That's that's very true. Yeah.

[00:04:50]um of the uh solutions as you said you've had to work on this vehicle to get it to that level without giving away any trade secrets. Are there some things that you're really proud or took a a lot to really sort of engineer that um worked so well on something like a centra?

[00:05:11]Uh yeah. So one of the things uh uh one of the crash modes uh that IHS tests for is the small overlap. Uh they tested on both the left hand and the right hand side where it's it's uh it's it's where we crash the vehicle with a 20 uh 25% um uh overlap with a rigid barrier. Um, so almost mimicking where you would hit like a a wall um or a or a lamp or a post or something like that. Um, so unlike a full uh uh full lap or a full uh full frontal crash, the loading is is not the same. It's not in you know uh in a way that the uh side members in the car take the load completely. It's a partial impact. So you're limited in the way your energy is dissipated through the main loadbearing systems. So what we've done is uh is still manage it in a way that with some structural components that we still are able to channel it into the main side members. So that's whether we having some gussets in the front or not. It's it's still using the main loadbearing members to act in a way that our cabin intrusion is uh is is optimized and then the restraints take over after that. So a lot of work went in went in went up front into developing those kind of structural components and reinforcements that are necessary to do that uh structurally.

[00:06:58]Yeah, I remember when that test first came in and they were doing it on vehicles not prepared for it and it was taking fenders and front tires right off and then they only did the left and then they did the right. And it's incredible to be able to uh ace that test and survive those impacts in a vehicle that weighs just over 3,000 lbs because you could easily just throw giant steel beams in there, but then you're going to start affecting fuel economy and drivability. And are those things that you're constantly having to balance with the other teams um in the engineering process of a vehicle?

[00:07:30]>> Yes, the design teams is uh they do a uh a leveling with all the other affected uh performance uh teams to kind of not degrade in one one performance mode compared to the others. So yes, it's a it's a balancing act throughout the digital and during the physical testing phase.

[00:07:52]>> I can imagine. So, when it comes to um you're finished your product and you're ready to send it out there to be tested, have you 100% got it all sorted out with your simulations or your own testing? Is there always a little nerves just hoping it does as well as you're expecting it to do?

[00:08:11]>> No, I think we were 100% confident. We we've done a fair amount of tests to get to that point but also you know we are our approach is to manage the energy structurally instead of other concepts where in the past uh uh other OEMs I I don't know how they deal with it but we are 100% managing the energy of the kinetic energy that's imparted so we are very confident that our structural or structural ratings are um are very consistent from test to test. So that way we can ensure that the cabin intrusion is always going to be what we've planned for and as a result the energy going into the cabin and which the uh restraints needs to handle will always be the same. So there was no nervousness about uh this test going into the actual IHS test.

[00:09:11]>> Yeah, that makes sense. That's That's what I figured. Um, with the Sentra, there's different trims and you get different wheels and different bumpers.

[00:09:19]Is this something where you have the vehicle structure set and you can only have certain wheels and tires or do you have to change things slightly depending on the different trim or version of the vehicle?

[00:09:32]uh that's uh selection logic that I can't get into too much detail about but we make some >> some calculations at the very beginning based on um IHS selection criteria and uh and our development approach is based on that.

[00:09:50]>> Okay. Yeah, that that's what I figured.

[00:09:52]It would be a lot of work to have to change everything slightly for each each model.

[00:09:56]>> Yeah. But once we make that selection, we stick with it and uh and we don't change it too much.

[00:10:04]>> So, back to the specific test. We talked about the small overlap, the side impact. I know that really changed uh we're going back a couple years now or quite a few years, but was that a big challenge when they started uh I think they started hitting the car slightly higher, correct? In the side door. Yes, that was to kind of mimic the way the the newer SUVs are a little higher, a little heavier.

[00:10:32]So, I think I just did the research to come up with a new battery design to represent bigger SUVs that are in the market today. And yes, there were uh changes uh related to that to the body structure uh and also the restraint systems, specifically the side airbag that would uh help uh compensate for that uh newer and heavier mass.

[00:11:00]>> Yeah. And actually didn't even think of the airbags. I just remember some um other manufacturers, not Nissan, but some others struggled with that at first because they I guess weren't ready for the the higher impact. So with the airbags, have you noticed a a big advancement in the way they deploy and provide protection and restraint over the last let's say 5 10 years?

[00:11:21]>> Yes, I think the size of the airbags uh has uh has somewhat grown. It used to be mainly a pelvis chamber. Uh now we have like a torso and like a shoulder chamber that's been added to reduce the impact of the uh the intrusion. So yes, the size has improved uh tremendously and I think there's been some uh airbags that are uh also uh impact the kinematics of the uh the arm to get it out of the way uh instead of being sandwiched uh and uh increase your red detection numbers.

[00:12:00]>> And on a just a pure design aspect, it's incredible how seamlessly they're integrated into vehicles now. I mean, I'm old enough to remember when they first started coming and every steering wheel had that giant rectangle on it.

[00:12:11]You could see the outline on the dash of the passenger airbag. Now, if there wasn't the the warning, you wouldn't even know where they are.

[00:12:19]>> Yes, that's true. The tear seams are so hidden now that you wouldn't even know where they are.

[00:12:26]>> Is that something the design team does more or is that something um your team works on?

[00:12:30]uh the design teams it would be the cockpit design team working in tandem with the uh restraints or airbag design group.

[00:12:40]So now that your car has achieved this this rating and we know I IHS never stops creating new um standards and new tests and whatnot. Are you already working on sort of updates or the next gen uh of the vehicle? Like how does the process work? Is it just like any other design? And as soon as you're done one, it's on to working on the next.

[00:13:03]>> Yeah. Yes. We we we if there's a new project, we move on to the new the next project. Uh but as far as the evolution, so we have our advanced uh engineering group that uh is more um in touch with uh with with outside agencies and what you know how protocols are going to change. And so we work with them and uh our design groups to kind of put together a plan to to meet uh any protocols that may change in the future.

[00:13:38]>> Well, that's very cool. Um like I said, it's still pretty incredible that a vehicle the the weight and price point of the Sentra achieve such a high rating. So that's uh obviously kudos to you and your team. um that I thank you for coming on and discussing it and I look forward to the future products coming from the company and of course them all acing crash tests. Correct.

[00:14:03]>> Yep. That's the plan.

[00:14:05]>> All right. Well, thank you very much for your time. It's been great talking with you.

[00:14:09]>> Thank you for having me.

[00:14:12]>> Okay, so moving on. Let's talk about our product review for this week and it is the Salin Terramax HLT. Basically what this is, it is a highway focused tire for SUVs or crossovers. It's the kind of tire that could deal with some mild dirt or even some light dustings of snow, but really it's meant for pavement driving in both wet and dry conditions. It's what you would see in the majority of Honda CRVs, Toyota RAV 4s, the Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander, Subaru Forces, those kind of vehicles. So to test it, I actually got to drive a Honda CRV in stock form with this tire on backtoback with another completely stock Honda CRV wearing a much more expensive competitor's tire. We did this test down in Homestead, Miami, Florida, you know, the NASCAR track. Now, we didn't go around the oval. We were in the infield and we did an autocross in both dry and wet conditions in these CRVS driving the two tires headto head. It was incredibly hot. We're talking well over 100 degrees when we did this test. So, the tires were really being pushed to their limits. And of course, on the autocross, we we we maybe overdrove the tires a little bit more than you would on your average run to Costco or Walmart. But we only had a short period of time with the tires. So, I really wanted to feel them at their limits and what their ultimate performance was like. In the dry, there was so little difference between the salin and the more expensive tier one brandame tire. Maybe a little bit in the cornering, I could feel the sidewall wanting to roll over a bit more and the tread um the tread blocks started making a little more vibration and noise as they were being absolutely scrubbed against the rough pavement. But when you're accelerating and braking and driving, even moderately, never mind mildly, there was so little difference.

[00:16:07]Uh, even road noise was pretty equal between the two, although the sailance had just a little bit more. Now, in the drive, there was a bit more difference.

[00:16:15]Again, acceleration and braking, couldn't notice a thing. And now with sound, you couldn't really hear the hum of the tires that you could in the dry.

[00:16:24]under uh moderate to harder cornering.

[00:16:26]This is where the more expensive branding tire did do a little better, but again, the percentage and difference in handling ability compared to the percentage and difference in actual cost of the tire wasn't there. The sale still offered far more value uh compared to the the brand tire. So yeah, if you have a a used CRV or or Rogue or Equinox and you're looking for a set of quality replacement tires and not a high price, I'd recommend these. They are again the Salin Terramax HLT tires. We'll take another quick break and we'll be back with the mailbag.

[00:17:07]All right, in the mailbag this week, we have a question that centers around a lot of buzz we had recently. Uh, didn't really mean a pun there, but anyway, it is about Formula 1 and the rumors and announcement, I guess, now that they will return to V8 engines. There's been so much backlash currently with these turbo V6 hybrids. The previous gen had their issues with sound, but performance wasn't terrible, but it was was more along the the sound and feel. And the current gen, it's all three.

[00:17:38]Performance, sound, feel. The drivers don't like it. The fans despise it. The engines are running out of steam on straightaways. It's just a bad situation everywhere. I get Formula 1 was trying to be more sustainable and show how they could balance uh electricity power along with gasoline power, but it just hasn't worked. And this is the pinnacle of sport in racing where it should be all about pushing a car to its absolute limits. And in every race, you can't do that cuz you have to conserve battery or the battery and gas just don't have enough power to continue continue to accelerate the vehicle. So, if we go back to high RPM V8s, I mean, yeah, it's not the V12s and V10s of old eras, but they could still sound so nice. They will rev so high. Power will be designed to not run out on the longer straights in Formula 1. So, I'm all for it. I think anyone who's really into the sports all for it. There will be some that maybe feel it's a step back in terms of technological advancements, but there's still so much they can do. And and in a racing series like F1, I think entertainment's as important as the racing action and sort of the advancements. And the current cars are just missing a bit of that entertainment that we as fans want to hear and see.

[00:18:58]And this will really bring it back. And I think the drivers will enjoy the more analog feel of a a higher revving V8 engine over what they currently have. So the plan is that these rules should be in by 2031. So we're talking 5 years.

[00:19:13]There's even uh a push to get it in a year early. So I kind of feel bad for the manufacturers that have invested this much time and money in the current powertrain, especially Cadillac who hasn't even made theirs yet. We're planning to bring it out in a couple years because in a couple years it'll be obsolete again. We'll be on to something new. But uh as a fan of the sport and I think I speak for a lot of fans, not all but a lot. We welcome these changes and can't wait for it to come. So anyway, that has been the Auto Guide Show for another week. We'll be back again next week and we'll be talking about more uh car reviews and some other news and of course the mailbag and there will be a product review. But until then, have a great week.