The Italian Way to Safety

Abstract

Confronted with the high accident rate on Italian roads the automotive engineers in Italy feel that active or primary safety is of basic importance, namely, those features that provide the automobile with the highest possible degree of controllability in any circumstances. Of course, passive or secondary safety is not neglected as it reduces the consequences of the first collision (against another vehicle or obstacle), namely, the injuries which occupants suffer during the second collision from impacts against the passenger compartment interior. Exhaustive design and testing development work is going on. Other factors involving limitations in the specific performance of engines are discussed.