Chinese SUV Earns High Marks in Rollover Safety

Haval lays claim to being the first Chinese manufacturer to successfully complete a new rollover safety test with its H6 midsize SUV and says the results show Chinese safety-engineering standards meet global demands.

Conducted at the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) in Tianjin, it was the first public demonstration of the new rollover crash-test regime – said by CATARC to use criteria more stringent than that used by European and U.S. crash labs.

The test is conducted at 31.25 mph (50 km/h).

“It clearly demonstrates Chinese safety engineering has reached a standard that meets the requirements of any market in the world,” CATARC spokesman Zhang Jianwei says in a statement.

He says rollover crashes make up only 3% to 5% of all accidents, but casualty rates can be as high as 33%.

“Rollover crashes are typically more likely to occur among vehicles with higher ground clearance,” Zhang says. “Given the growing popularity of SUVs in markets such as the U.S. and Australia, the safety performance of rollover testing is critical.”

CATARC researchers began studying rollover safety in 2015 and have tailored a test specific to Chinese road conditions, but representative for global recognition.

It says the new Haval H6 performed well in the test.

Even with a full-length panoramic sunroof, the H6 maintained excellent body integrity, with no bending of the A- or B-pillar. The doors remained closed, demonstrating one of the clear benefits of using laser welding to deliver a strong body shell.

All occupants were safely restrained and avoided head and body injuries in the rollover.

After the test, tools were not needed to open the H6’s doors, the restraint systems could be operated normally and there were no leaks from the fuel tank.

CATARC, founded in 1985, supports the Chinese government in the areas of vehicle technological standards, policy and regulation formation, including the New Car Assessment Program. It has almost 3,000 employees, including more than 1,000 technical staff.