Safety Features of The New Honda Civic

Throughout the development of the new 2012 Honda Civic, high importance was placed on safety for occupants and other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

"Honda has a high tech crash test facility in Tochigi, Japan. There we were able to crash the new Civic into vehicles of different weights and sizes, and at different angles and speeds. We wanted to make sure that we are offering the best 'real world' safety for our customers." explains Mitsuru Kariya, Civic Development Leader.

This was achieved in the new Honda Civic partly by the use of the Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure, a front mounted polygonal frame which has been designed to prevent deformation of the cabin by distributing forces away from the passenger compartment.

"Just as important as technology that protects you in a crash is technology that helps you avoid an accident in the first place" says Kariya. "This is the first time that the CMBS system has been introduced on the Civic in Europe."

Honda's Collision Mitigation Braking System works by monitoring the distance and closing rate between the Honda Civic and the vehicle in front. If a collision is likely to happen, the driver will be warned, if an impact does occur, the impact will be reduced by the system by automatically assisting with heavy braking. The seatbelts will also be tightened in order to reduce loading on the driver during an accident.

The new 2012 Honda Civic features sophisticated protection features. I am very proud that Honda has a leading reputation for pedestrian safety. It's an area in the new Civic that has been constantly worked upon." commented Julian Warren, Senior Safety Engineer.

The pedestrian protection features includes energy absorbing front wing mounts and windscreen wiper pivots that are designed to break away in an impact.