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From: mag@whuxlm.UUCP (Gray Michael A)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Seat Belts - blaming the victim
Message-ID: <757@whuxlm.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 4-May-85 15:48:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxlm.757
Posted: Sat May  4 15:48:59 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 5-May-85 03:57:33 EDT
References: <689@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany
Lines: 32

> Just how much extra would it  cost to  make a  car safer?   About six
> years ago, the Dept.  of Transportation  design a  car.   It was very
> attractive (looked similar to a Camero) and were  fuel efficient (use
> an Honda engine) and the  chances of  surviving hitting  a brick wall
> head-on  at  55  mph  were  above  80%.   The chances  of surviving a
> side-ways crash were less, but  still well  above what  any car being
> produced  could  do.    They  built  the  car for  around $8000 (1979
> dollars).  The Dept's position was that if the gov't  could built one
> car for this amount, then the private sector  could mass-produce them
> for a lot less and still make a profit.  
> 
> Jay T. McCanta  

Come ON!! Nobody could build a prototype car for $8000!  It costs
hundreds of thousands just to prototype a body!  This needs support.
Probably, what really happened is that they spent millions and millions
of dollars building a few prototypes that survived 55 mph head-ons
reliably.  THEN, they sat down and ESTIMATED that a private manufacturer
could do it for $8000.  I'd like to see evidence that such an estimate
was in any way reliable.  Also, in 1979 $8000 would get you a decent
car with power-almost everything, stereo, AC, and several other goodies.
Did these features exist on the prorotype?  Probably not. Were they
included in the estimate?  I doubt it.  Anyway, $8000 then is like
about $11,000 in todays dollars.  If they could make a car that
had that amount of safety and compared well with current cars in
features, they'd DO IT!  All you need are about 1 million safety
fanatics to make a profit.  I'd buy it.  I have a hunch that such
a safe car would cost about $25,000 to build, though.  At that price,
most people couldn't afford it.  Those who could afford it would
probably use the money to buy luxury and performance.

Mike Gray