When it comes to vehicle safety, Mercedes-Benz has always been a pioneer. For decades, our in-house accident research has paved the way toward more efficient and effective safety systems and technologies – many of which have been adopted by other car manufacturers. Now, having completed the world’s first public crash test involving two all-electric vehicles, we continue to set new standards.

Conducted at our state-of-the-art technology centre for vehicle safety in Sindelfingen, Germany, the world-first public test involved our all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQA SUV and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. It far exceeded minimum legal requirements as well as those of independent bodies such as Euro NCAP.

“Safety is part of Mercedes-Benz’s DNA and one of our core commitments to all road users,” says Markus Schäfer, member of the board of management and chief technology officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

“And to us, protecting human lives is not a question of drive system. The recent crash test involving two fully electric vehicles demonstrates this. It proves that all our vehicles have an equally high level of safety, no matter what technology drives them.”

Real-life safety

For more than 50 years, ‘real-life safety’ has been a core part of our safety philosophy. Going above and beyond regulations and requirements, our in-house accident research experts study real accidents, using this knowledge to assess new safety technologies and build vehicles that offer effective on-road protection.

The recent crash test was no different, replicating a real accident that might take place on the road.

Crash test dummies

The EQA and EQS SUV used in the test were fitted with four adult crash test dummies: one male and three females. Dr. Hanna Paul, head of dummy technology at Mercedes-Benz AG, explained that the brand is leading the industry with the use of female dummies.

“We have been using female dummies at Mercedes-Benz for more than 20 years,” she says. “However, they are not human dolls, but measuring instruments. In designing the measuring equipment, the weight and size of the dummy genders are derived from real-life human data, with the female dummy corresponding to female anatomy.”

The use of a fifth percentile female dummy (representing a 150cm tall, 49kg female) and a 50th percentile male dummy (representing a 175 cm tall, 78kg male) ensures that the safety systems and crash structures in Mercedes-Benz vehicles are designed for a broad cross-section of occupants.

Each high-tech crash test dummy is fitted with numerous sensors, offering up to 150 data points. Analysis of this data after the crash test indicated a low risk of serious to fatal injury. This data, along with examination of both the EQA and EQS SUV, demonstrated that the advanced restraint systems and designated crumble zones offer occupants very good protection potential in an impact of this severity.

When viewed in super slow motion, it’s possible to understand and appreciate the coordination and harmony of the integrated safety systems as they deploy and work in classical symphony to protect life.

The real-world crash test is an important part of the ongoing commitment to vehicle and road safety at Mercedes-Benz.

“We are working hard to achieve our vision of accident-free driving, which goes beyond the ‘Vision Zero’ objectives set by the WHO and the United Nations Regional Commissions,” says Markus.

“We don’t just want zero traffic fatalities by 2050 and a halving in the number of traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 compared to 2020. Our goal by 2050 is zero accidents involving a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.”

Discover the all-electric EQA and EQS SUV.

^[1]GUARD 360° anti-theft protection optional on EQA 250 and EQA 350 4MATIC.