Electric vehicles spark highway safety discussion, crash test
Electric vehicles (EVs) are sparking safety concerns when it comes to U.S. highway infrastructure, but the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) is diligently doing its best to keep vehicles and its passengers out of harm’s way thanks to research sponsored by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.
MwRSF showcased this research with a crash test on July 1 involving a 3-ton Rivian electric pickup crashing into a lane barrier guardrail used to protect road crews working alongside traffic. The crash was performed on a temporary guardrail with the Rivian reaching a top speed of 62 mph. The MwRSF hosted National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) for the crash test demonstration and a roundtable discussion on EVs that preceded the crash test.
The July 1 crash test not only showcased MwRSF and the College of Engineering’s groundbreaking research on roadway safety, but it also particularly highlighted how larger EVs can potentially impact highway barricades and barriers.