Hidden Danger: How Your Vehicle’s Dashboard Could Determine Your Survival in a Crash

As SUV sales surge in India—growing by 5-6% in FY 2013-14 according to SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers)—safety engineers are addressing a critical but overlooked safety concern: instrument panel head impact protection, which can determine survival outcomes during collisions.

Dashboard Design: A Matter of Life or Death

Research from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) reveals that instrument panel materials, structures, and mounting systems significantly impact head injury outcomes during crashes. Ministry of Road Transport data shows head injuries contribute to nearly 30% of India’s 151,113 annual road fatalities, with dashboard impacts causing thousands of preventable deaths.

At speeds exceeding 40 km/h, instrument panel design becomes the determining factor in head injury severity. These findings are driving engineers to prioritize design modifications that preserve aesthetics while enhancing protection.

Engineering Solutions Saving Lives

“The challenge is multidimensional,” explains Subhan Ali Shaik, Lead Crash and Safety Engineer at Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. “We must develop solutions that not only meet regulations but genuinely enhance real-world safety outcomes.”

Mr. Shaik spearheaded the development of a groundbreaking collapsible instrument panel mounting bracket for the Mahindra XUV500. His patented design (Indian Patent No. 3628/CHE/2015) reduced head acceleration forces from 93G to 73G—well below the regulatory threshold of 80G stipulated by ECE R21 standards.

“When I began working on the XUV500’s instrument panel design, we identified that conventional mounting brackets transmitted excessive force to occupants’ heads,” notes Shaik. “Our collapsible design introduced precisely engineered failure points that absorb energy rather than transferring it to the occupant.”

Key innovations being implemented include:

• Energy-Absorbing Structures: Instrument panel mounting designs now incorporate controlled deformation zones
• Advanced Materials: Multi-layered construction with varying density foams optimize energy absorption
• Simulation-Driven Design: Development leverages finite element analysis and biomechanical modeling

Alarming Safety Disparities

Testing by the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) revealed troubling variability in instrument panel performance:

• Entry-level vehicles: Average HIC values of 1,350 (35% above safety thresholds)
• Mid-segment vehicles: Average HIC values of 950
• Premium vehicles: HIC values below 700

Approximately 60% of vehicle models tested between 2011-2014 initially failed enhanced instrument panel safety requirements, according to ARAI data.

Technical Complexity and Economic Reality

Modern instrument panels utilize sophisticated constructions including thermoplastic olefin skins, calibrated polyurethane foam layers, and structural supports with calculated failure points. Testing must verify head acceleration remains below 80G over a 3ms period, with HIC values below 1000 across multiple impact points, even in India’s extreme temperatures (-5°C to 45°C).

Enhanced safety features add approximately ₹2,500-4,000 to manufacturing costs per vehicle in mass-market segments. However, Ministry of Health estimates serious head injuries from crashes cost the Indian economy approximately ₹15,000 crores annually.

“The incremental cost of our collapsible bracket design was offset many times over when calculating reduced medical expenses, lost productivity, and human suffering,” Shaik explains.

Future of Instrument Panel Safety

The conversation around instrument panel safety is evolving from meeting minimum regulations to pursuing excellence in occupant protection. Through investment in research, materials science, and innovative design, manufacturers are establishing new benchmarks for safety.

“When we developed the collapsible bracket for the XUV500, we demonstrated that relatively modest design modifications—when guided by rigorous engineering—can dramatically improve safety outcomes,” concludes Shaik. “The challenge now is applying this philosophy across all vehicle segments, particularly in affordable models where cost constraints are most significant.”

The patented mounting bracket exemplifies how thoughtful engineering solutions improve safety through seemingly small but critically important innovations—potentially saving thousands of lives across India’s roadways.