The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducts crash tests to assess the safety of vehicles during collisions. These tests are performed on all vehicles sold in the US, including cars, trucks, and SUVs. Based on their performance in these tests, vehicles are assigned star ratings. A five-star rating, like the one achieved by the Audi Q8, indicates the highest level of safety.
A video posted on CarPro1993’s YouTube channel shows the NHTSA preparing to crash test the Q8, which is Audi’s premium two-row SUV based on the seven-passenger Q7. The NHTSA tapes black and yellow strips along the roof and doors to measure the impact intrusion on the passenger compartment. They use dummies of various sizes wearing brightly colored shirts and paint to evaluate the severity of the impact and the likelihood of injury.
Side-impact tests involve crashing a barrier directly into the side of a vehicle at its midpoint. This simulates a collision with another vehicle. In the case of the Audi Q8, the barrier strikes the driver’s side at a speed of 38.5 miles per hour, causing the left-hand side wheels to lift off the ground. As a result of the impact, the side curtain airbags deploy and the doors are pushed inward. Inside the vehicle, the dummies are initially pushed against the airbags before rebounding to the right.
After the crash, the Audi Q8 displays moderate damage. The B-pillar absorbs most of the impact, and the doors are visibly deformed. However, the SUV still appears drivable. The wheels remain intact and the windshield is undamaged. Although the side windows pop out of their frames, they do not shatter. Inside the vehicle, the door panels are distorted, but the airbags have successfully redirected much of the force away from the dummies.
According to the NHTSA’s website, the Audi Q8 has received a five-star safety rating for side-impact protection and an overall five-star safety rating. Additionally, it has been awarded a five-star rating for frontal impact and a four-star rating for rollover safety. Apart from these categories, the NHTSA has proposed stricter pedestrian safety tests, including standards for automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
