When it comes to both active as well as passive automobile safety, comparing a 1963 SEAT 600 and a modern-day Ibiza FR can really put things into perspective.
To be fair, 60 years is a very long time, especially with how fast technology seems to evolve. From the emergence of the digital age to the more clever passive safety systems, modern-day cars make their predecessors look like they come from the Stone Age.
Javier Luzon, head of Passive Safety at SEAT still recalls how the 600 wasn’t even equipped with headrests, which are great at preventing whiplash.
Also, while seat belts were available in the 60s, the 600 only came with “an inextensible strap that users had to adjust to their body.” Today, seat belts adapt to the driver’s body and not the other way around, providing even more safety in the event of a crash.
Comparing the brakes on the 600 and the Ibiza FR is also extremely revealing. Where the 600 came with drum brakes “with much lower braking power than what can be achieved today,” modern cars feature not only ABS but also “large diameter disc brakes” plus wider tires for better contact with the road.
Then there’s the chassis, which of course today is a lot better at absorbing the energy from an impact, though according to Luzon, the next step in automobile safety will be for cars to “anticipate future events and react accordingly.”
PHOTO GALLERY
