!NEW! 40 years of Opel Safety Vehicle: The safe route from Kadett C to Astra J

• 40 years ago: Opel Safety Vehicle masters impact speed of 40 mph
• Opel Kadett C called OSV 40: Impact protection, on-board warning system, safety seats
• Astra today: Ultra-modern Assistance Systems with Camera, Radar and Sensors

OSV 40 and the Opel Astra J: The current Opel compact car is reaping the rewards of 40 years of development.

„Don’t start without a seatbelt“, was the slogan of a campaign launched in Germany in 1974 to persuade drivers to wear seatbelts. Two years later, wearing seatbelts became compulsory and in 1984 fines for not wearing them were introduced. Opel has been equipping all models with seatbelts as standard since 1973 and the following year, gave a visionary outlook into the safety technology of the future. The Opel Safety Vehicle, a close-to-production research vehicle based on the Kadett C, mastered a frontal impact of 40 mph (roughly 65 km/h) and paved the way for the development of further safety features. The impact speed in miles also gave the Kadett its name: OSV 40. The current Opel Astra demonstrates the evolution since those early days. The compact car is reaping the rewards of 40 years of development and has exemplary passenger safety and ultra-modern assistance systems.

OSV 40 and the Opel Astra J

OSV 40 – Opel Safety Vehicle masters impact speed of 40 mph

The name says it all: OSV stand for Opel Safety Vehicle, the number 40 for the frontal impact speed in miles per hour that the OSV 40 was designed to resist.

Exactly 40 years ago, the Rüsselsheim-based company showed its idea of a safe compact car at the second International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles held in London. The engineers were handed a Kadett C, presented the previous year, and could let their imagination run wild when it came to safety. The technicians were allowed to choose the name themselves and decided on OSV or Opel Safety Vehicle. The number 40 stands for the frontal impact speed in miles per hour that the OSV 40 was designed to resist. Despite the extended safety features the cars was not to weigh more than 1,000 kilograms.

Impact energy absorbed by polyurethane foam

The first thing an onlooker notices is how voluminous fenders are compared to modern fenders. The OSV 40 fenders were filled with polyurethane foam which gave them their absorbing capacity. Foam-filled side members that break in a controlled way at impact speeds above eight kilometers per hour were used at the front. The foam structure absorbed enough energy that frontal impacts below this speed only resulted in a small deformation – thus the predecessor of the “self-healing” fender was created. The engineers also filled the cavities of the sills and doors with polyurethane foam in order to create increased safety reserves for a side impact. Reinforced roof rails and backrests of the front seats that were fixed to the roof via a belt construction, the seats could still be adjusted, increased the stability of the passenger compartment considerably. Furthermore, the windshield made from laminated glass was glued directly to the bodywork – also with the goal of increasing body stiffness in mind.

Interior also reflects safety approach

Inside the car, all surfaces with which the passengers could come into contact in case of an accident were cushioned with a two-centimeter layer of polyurethane foam. The steering was fitted with an additional angled element in the lower steering column sector.

Safety also came first in the cockpit of the OSV-40. The central warning system made by Hella controlled eleven functions and showed possible errors by the associated warning lamps lighting up. Four additional lights behind the rear window signaled emergency braking and also doubled as hazard lights. Due to their high positioning, they were easy to see for following road users. A split rear view mirror enabled a perfect view with the lower part reducing the blind spot to a minimum.

All-round protection: Reinforced roof rails and backrests of the front seats that were fixed to the roof via a belt construction increased the stability of the passenger compartment considerably.

The front seats were widened to create a continuous boundary to the rear compartment. The side supports, especially in the shoulder area, prevented the driver and passenger colliding in case of a side impact. The minimalistic head rests of the front seats ensured that the driver had a good view to the rear. The belt construction restraint system for the heads of passengers in the rear also ensured safety and overview. The four seats of OSV 40 all had three point belts – the ones in the front even already had an automatic seat belt tension system.

All crash tests passed with flying colors

The OSV 40 met all of the objectives during the crash tests: All four doors could still be opened without the help of tools after a frontal impact at 40 mph with a solid obstacle. The front section of the car absorbed the energy so well that it was shortened by 50 cm due to the cold-drawing phase. The OSV 40 was equally impressive during a frontal collision with a pylon at 50 km/h, a rear impact, a side impact with a post and during the rollover test at 48 km/h.

Opel OSV 40: Technical data

Length in mm	4,318
Width in mm	1,580
Height in mm	1,370
Front track in mm	1,330
Rear track in mm	1,301
Weight in kg	965
Displacement in cm3	1,196
Max. output in kW (hp) / at rpm	44 (65) / 5,600
Max. torque in Nm / at rpm	95 / 3,400

Opel Astra J: State-of-the-art safety systems

The new representative of the Opel compact class shows just how dynamic the development started in 1974 continued. In addition to the structural strength that has come to be expected, the Opel Astra offers extensive passive safety features and a string of ultra-modern driver assistance systems that increase the safety and comfort for the drivers and passengers decisively.

The second generation of the Opel Eye Front Camera is the foundation for the driver assistance systems. The engineers optimized the Lane Departure Warning and the Traffic Sign Recognition functions. The camera processes numerous levels of brightness and can even recognize dynamic LED signs. A further aid available in combination with the Opel Eye Front Camera is a distance indicator. It shows the driver the distance to a vehicle in front (in seconds).

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Keeps distance to vehicle in front

Even safer and more comfortable: The radar-based Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) helps the driver to maintain the selected speed while keeping a pre-set safety distance to the vehicle ahead. In addition to speed, the desired gap to the vehicle ahead can also be selected by the driver – with three options available: far, medium, close. When ACC is activated, the radar constantly checks the distance up to a range of 150 meters ahead; the selected gap to the closest vehicle in the same lane is shown in the center screen of the display.

Opel Astra J: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

In case the driver does not react to the audible and visual warnings by braking in a critical situation and the system calculates a potential impact, it may decelerate the car automatically in an extreme case. The Opel Astra is decelerated with help of a brake system that can look to the advantages of a latest generation Anti-lock Braking System and an extended Electronic Stability Program (ESP Plus).

Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL): Perfect lighting for all conditions

The latest generation of safety lighting system Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL+) with Bi-Xenon headlamps includes a large package of intelligent lighting functions such as: High Beam Light Assistant, Dynamic Curve Light, Static Cornering Light and adaptive lighting, which reacts automatically to the prevailing driving situation such as route profile (freeway, highway, city) and visibility (sun, fog, rain) and adjusts the headlamps accordingly. The arrow-like design of the LED daytime running lamps, which come as standard, give the Astra a distinctive appearance.

Extensive package for passive safety

Even if all of the systems for the active safety reach their limits, Astra drivers can trust in an extensive passive safety package. A total of six airbags come as standard. If a situation occurs in which an airbag or a belt tensioner is activated, the hazard warning lights come on and the doors are unlocked automatically. Obviously, the Astra is also fitted with the Opel-patented Pedal Release System (PRS) which decouples the pedals in the event of a frontal collision, reducing the risk of injury to feet and lower legs considerably.

Opel-patented Pedal Release System (PRS) 

!NEW! “We want to be the emotional German brand.”

Vice President Design for Opel/Vauxhall Mark Adams about what the future holds for Opel design

Vice President Design for Opel/Vauxhall Mark Adams with Opel Monza concept

Mark Adams knows a thing or two about car design. As the man behind Opel’s looks, the Vice President Design for Opel/Vauxhall has managed to seamlessly forge sculptured design with German engineering. It’s not merely about functionality, though, but bringing out the emotional aspect. Adams, speaking on the occasion of the World Graphic Design Day on Sunday April 27, reveals his design philosophy and gives a sneak preview of the shape of things to come in the future.

Mark, good design must be ahead of its time for people to appreciate it for years to come. How does this affect your work ?

Mark Adams: I definitely agree. And I can think of some good examples among our cars, for example the latest Corsa. When we launched it on the market, it was a breath of fresh air compared to the competition. Even now after several years, its looks have endured. To achieve this, it takes a strong design statement that goes beyond the customer’s expectations. The Calibra and the Corsa B already followed this line of thinking. Right now, the Insignia is an excellent case in point. It looks as good now as it did back when it was launched.

Opel Calibra (1990)

What was your first project when you joined the company in 2002 ?

Opel Insignia concept car, which actually didn’t have a name back then. We started working on it two months after I arrived. It was to be presented at the IAA 2003. I wanted to do something with it that would be more sculpted, more emotional, but that would also carry the technical quality found in our brand. While working on the Opel Insignia concept, we sowed the seeds for what was to become our new design philosophy. I came up with the motto ‘sculpted design meets German engineering’ in 2005. I remember saying to my team, “You know what? That’s it, that’s what we’ll call it!”

Opel Insignia concept car (2003)

And so the Opel design language was given a name…

Not the design language, but rather the design philosophy. There is a difference. A lot of competitors back then had their own design language. But they never lasted. We wanted to create consistency. A design philosophy, as I understand it, is something sustainable and enduring. It can be valid for a hundred years. That’s what I wanted to get across to my team. So I took specific models from Opel’s history. I asked my team, “Could the Opel GT from the 60s be described as ‘sculpted design meets German engineering’?” The answer was yes, it could. So we pursued it. The Opel Insignia was our first modern-day production car that carried these values. But it is also easy to imagine how cars could continue to follow this philosophy in 2060 and still be contemporary.

Opel Insignia (2014)

The good thing is that our philosophy doesn’t limit us, but gives us a lot of creative freedom instead. It provides a frame within which we can work, yet it doesn’t restrict us. We have a very broad range of customers, which is why we need different cars each with its own individual personality. This frame allows us to design these kinds of cars. We have carried this philosophy with every new vehicle since the Insignia. It is currently reflected in our entire model range: The Astra, Meriva, and Zafira Tourer all embody it. So do the cars that have expanded our portfolio – the Ampera, Mokka, ADAM, and Cascada. For example, the ADAM is clearly an Opel, but it has a totally different personality than the Insignia.

And is this what you want to carry on into the future generations of vehicles ?

Exactly. Now comes the next phase: The seed for Opel Design 2.0 has been planted in the Opel Monza concept, which will define the design of our production vehicles for the next eight to 10 years. It takes some of the well-known features, gives them a fresh, new interpretation, and executes them in a contemporary way.

Opel Monza concept

How do you plan on transferring the character of a concept with gull-wing doors into a five-seat production vehicle with a roomy trunk ?

The Opel Monza may be a vision, but it’s not that far removed. It’s important for it to remain accessible to everyone, which is why we like to think in eight to 10-year cycles. The next cycle will take us to Opel Design 3.0, which will integrate new trends and technologies while remaining consistent with our philosophy. If you compare the Insignia concept and the Monza concept, you can see the connection, the DNA link.

Opel Monza concept

What else does the Opel Monza concept stand for ?

It is inspiring and visionary. It stands for outstanding efficiency and connectivity. I’m certain that LED projection technology and human-machine interfaces will have been perfected in a few years. Today, drivers use a touchscreen to communicate, but voice recognition will soon take over. This also contributes significantly to safety since it allows drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. And Opel intends to be the leader in this field with our next generation of cars. Our focus is on making vehicles simple to use. The new central console of the Insignia is a step in this direction. The infotainment system of the ADAM is already very good. Our high-speed mobile communications connection OnStar is a harbinger of things to come. Connectivity is a very important field for us. Broadly speaking, the interior will take on a greater importance. OK, the exterior design is what everyone sees. But 99 percent of the time, you’re inside the car.

 Opel Monza concept - Interior with LED projection technology

Does Opel offer added value through design in comparison to its competitors ?

Yes. Our design philosophy also plays an important role in the purchase decision. The head and the heart are both involved. We try to combine the two. The sculpted design speaks to the heart, the emotional side. On the other side we have German engineering with values like technology, precision, structure and quality. When you look at our cars, you get an instant emotional reaction. You think, “Wow, what a great design!” Look again and you then get a sense of the solid technological foundation – that’s our unique selling point. We want to be the emotional German brand.

Vice President Design for Opel/Vauxhall Mark Adams: “ When you look at our cars, you get an instant emotional reaction. You think, ‘Wow, what a great design!’ 

Mark Adams was born in London (England) in 1961. He studied engineering and design, completing his bachelor degree in Mechanical and Automotive Engineering and reading a Master’s degree in Automotive Design at the Royal College of Art in London. He held various executive positions in design at Ford before taking the role of head of Exterior Design for GM Europe in 2002. He was instrumental in the design of the Antara, Astra TwinTop, Corsa, Zafira Tourer and Astra GTC. In 2007, he was appointed Vice President Design for Opel/Vauxhall and has continued leaving his unique mark on the current sculptured look that has become synonymous with Opel.