The new 2014 Honda Odyssey has earned top marks in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests. It scored a “good” rating on their small-overlap crash test which helped it become the only minivan to earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.
The small-overlap test is something that’s still relatively new, having been introduced just last year. The IIHS test is designed to see how a vehicle handles a collision at the left front corner. This covers the kinds of accidets that happen when a vehicle clips a post or a tree, or has a collision with an oncoming vehicle.
Honda worked hard to earn this rating, giving the 2014 Honda Odyssey a stronger steel frame and better airbags now rather than waiting for the vehicle’s complete redesign a few years down the road. The early investment looks to have paid off.
This latest rating for Honda puts it at the top of the heap with more Top Safety Pick+ ratings than any other automaker. The other vehicles in their lineup that earned the rating include the 2013 Civic and Accord sedans and coupes, and the 2013 Acura TL.
Honda isn’t resting on its laurels but is continuing to invest in vehicle safety. They have two safety initiatives they are currently developing.
The first is geared toward reducing accidents involving motorcycle riders and the second targets preventing pedestrian accidents. They technology involves the use of radio signals called dedicated short range communications (DSRC) to deliver early collision warnings.
The DSRC system can detect pedestrians who are carrying DSRC-enabled smartphones. If it determines that the pedestrian is potentially entering the roadway and is in danger of being struck by the vehicle, it sends two warnings. One warning goes to the driver while the other goes to the pedestrian. Both get a loud audible warning as well as a visual warning on their screens.
The same system will also notify drivers when a motorcycle is close, even if it’s out of sight. The DSRC system is solely a notification system and won’t slow or stop the vehicle, but is intended to give drivers and pedestrians enough warning to avoid a crash.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
