Frontal Protection System

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Old style bull bar

New, pedestrian friendly Frontal Protection System

A Frontal Protection System (FPS) is a device fitted to the front end of a vehicle to protect both pedestrians and cyclists who are involved in the unfortunate event of a front end collision with a vehicle.

After public concerns about the safety of Bull-Bars led to governmental pressure on SUV and 4x4 vehicle manufacturers, the Transport Research Laboratory developed a series of tests designed to ensure that minimum safety standards are met on vehicles fitted with them. This test has now become embodied within European Directive 2005/66/EC coming into force in May 2007.

Effectively outlawing traditional metal fabricated Bull Bars; the new legislation has led to the development of more pedestrian friendly products. Various manufacturers have undertaken development using softer, energy absorbing materials.

[edit] Design and terminology

The terminology of Frontal Protection System has been derived from three terms:

Frontal, adj. Of, relating to, directs toward or situated at the front.
Protection, n. The action of protecting or the state of being protected, or a thing that protects.
System, n. A set of things working together as a mechanism or a network.

An FPS is attached to the front of a vehicle like a bull bar but is made of a technical composite of energy absorbing materials. The composite technology offers an interim solution to vehicle designers in assisting them to meet EC Directive 2003/102/EC Phase 2.

Intrusion into base vehicle without an FPS 200mm

Intrusion into base vehicle with an FPS 50-60mm

Testing recently carried out by MIRA, one of the UK’s leading testing facilities, has proved that the latest development of a vehicle Frontal Protection System can make many 4 x 4 vehicles safer in the unfortunate event of front end collisions with pedestrians and cyclists. If fitted to current large 4 x 4 vehicles, calculations based on these tests show that an FPS would save lives and a considerable number of serious pedestrian injuries throughout Europe and beyond.