Experimental Safety Vehicle

Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV) is the designation for experimental concept cars which are used to test car safety ideas.

Volvo VESC (1972)

Toyota ESV (1973)

Mercedes-Benz ESF22 (1973)

Mini SRV4 (1974)

Pininfarina Nido (2004)

In 1973 the U.S. DOT announced its ESV project, the aim of which was to obtain safer vehicles by 1981.^[1] A car produced by this effort was known as the Minicar RSV.

In 1991, the ESV abbreviation was backronymed to Enhanced Safety of Vehicles.^[2]

Some ESVs

• Aurora, a one-man effort 1957 ESV.
• Sir Vival, a safety car created by Walter C. Jerome in 1958 ESV.
• Austin Metro PSC1 (Pedestrian Safety Car One), 1986.^[3]
• BLMC SSV -Safety Systems Vehicle- series.^[4]
  • SSV1 Based on the MGB GT (1972).
  • SRV2 Based on the Morris Marina (1974).
  • SRV3 Based on the BMC ADO 17 Austin 1800 badge engineered family.
  • SRV4 Based on the Mini.
  • SRV5 Based on the BMC ADO 16 Austin/Morris 1300, featuring an innovative spring-loaded pedestrian-catching bar.
• Chrysler RSV -Research Safety Vehicle- based on the Simca 1307.^[5]
• Datsun ESV (1973), based on the Nissan Bluebird.^[6]
• Fiat ESV 1500 libbre, 2000 libbre and 2500 libbre (libbre meaning pounds in Italian) (1971).^[7][8]
• Mercedes-Benz ESV24 (1974).^[9]
• Mercedes-Benz ESF (2009).^[10]
• Nissan 216X (1971).^[11]
• Pininfarina PF Sigma (1963).^[12]
• Pininfarina Sigma (1969), a Formula One ESV.^[13]
• Pininfarina Nido (2004), featuring a sled-mounted survival cell with interior crumple zones.
• Renault BRV -Basic Research Vehicle- (1974).
• Renault Epure, based on the Renault 5 (1979).
• Toyota ESV (1972-1973)
• Volvo VESC (1972).
• Volvo SCC (2001).
• Volkswagen ESVW1 (1972) .

External links

NHTSA Page of ESV Conference Proceedings, 1998 (16th) to 2009 (21st): http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-01/esv/esv.html

• Collection of technical PDFs about ESVs including Proceedings from several older ESV Conferences.

References