OVERVIEW
The 2010 ZDX continues Acura's tradition of advancing passive safety feature content to achieve a high level of crash worthiness as well as top safety ratings in its class. The story begins with the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, a technology designed to manage and disperse frontal collision forces to better protect the passenger cabin and improve car-to-car collision safety. Inside, standard passive-safety features include front seat belts with automatic tensioning system with load limiters, dual-stage, multiple-threshold airbags, front-seat side airbags, active front head restraints, knee bolsters for the driver and front passenger, and side curtain airbags for front and outboard rear passengers. The Acura ZDX with Advance Package also gets Acura's innovative Collision Mitigating Braking System™ (CMBS™).
The ZDX meets the latest government safety regulations including FMVSS 214 (oblique pole) and is projected to achieve top-level test results in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA*) front and side impact testing, as well as earning GOOD ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in its Frontal Offset, Side Impact and Rear Crash Protection tests.
*Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Models tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs).
CRASH PERFORMANCE TARGETS
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests include Frontal and Side impact testing, as well as Rollover testing, while Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests include Frontal Offset, Side Impact (also known as SICE), and Rear Crash Protection indexes. Although official testing for the ZDX had not been conducted at press time, based on internal testing we anticipate the ZDX will receive 5-star ratings for the driver and front passenger in frontal impact testing, and 5-star ratings for front and rear seating positions in side impact testing. Similarly, Acura anticipates that the ZDX will receive "Good" ratings from the IIHS for frontal offset crash testing, side impact crash testing and rear crash protection.
VOLUNTARY IMPROVEMENTS
As the popularity soared for light trucks (including pickups, crossover vehicles and SUVs) in the last decade, so did the risk of such large vehicles colliding head-on with smaller ones. In light of this risk, engineers of the 2010 Acura ZDX designed a front structure that helps minimize the likelihood of over-ride or submarining in frontal collisions between vehicles of disparate size.
Pedestrian Safety
The 2010 Acura ZDX makes pedestrian safety a high priority, and adopts several pedestrian-safety measures that U.S. law does not require. For example, the ZDX hood frame and aluminum hood panel are designed to help protect pedestrians by deforming over a broad area to absorb collision energy. In addition, the hood hinges are designed to bend and the windshield wiper pivots also feature a breakaway design to help reduce injury in the event that a collision with a pedestrian should occur.
Dynamic Rollover
Another target that Acura designers felt strongly about was the ZDX's ability to withstand a rollover with the panoramic glass roof frame maintained, no fuel system damage, and no tailgate or tailgate door-opening damage. Though not required or regulated by the government, the high-strength steel safety cage provides the stiffness that allows the ZDX to better withstand rollover forces.
ADVANCED COMPATIBILITY ENGINEERING™ (ACE™)
Like every other Acura vehicle, the all-new 2010 ZDX features Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) unit-body design. ACE™ is an exclusive body design that enhances occupant protection and crash compatibility in frontal crashes. The ACE™ design utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This enhanced frontal crash energy management helps to reduce the forces transferred to the passenger compartment and can help to more evenly disperse the forces transferred to other vehicles in a crash.
If the ZDX should collide head-on with a smaller and/or lighter vehicle, Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ also helps provide good engagement with the small vehicle's frame. This helps reduce the risk of intrusion while simultaneously helping to disperse the crash energy across a wider area at the front of the vehicle.
IIHS SIDE IMPACT CRASHWORTHINESS EVALUATION (SICE)
The 2010 Acura ZDX was designed to achieve a "GOOD" rating in the rigorous IIHS Side Impact Crashworthiness Evaluation (SICE) evaluation, which measures how well a vehicle withstands intrusion from a large SUV in a side collision. The ZDX's high-strength steel safety cage, along with the use of high-strength side door beams, help make it resistant to intrusion.
ACTIVE FRONT HEAD RESTRAINTS
The 2010 ZDX has active head restraints that help minimize the potential for the driver or front passenger to suffer a neck injury during a rear-end collision. During this type of collision, the occupant's body applies pressure to the seatback. This pressure activates a lumbar plate that pushes the head restraint upward and forward to help equalize forces acting on the head, neck and spine during a collision. This ability to manage rear collision forces directly contributes to a reduction in the likelihood of whiplash injuries.
For rear-seat passengers, adjustable headrests can be manually raised 3.46 inches from their nested position within the seatback for maximum comfort and support. When not in use, the rear headrests can be positioned flush with the seatback to improve rear visibility.
The IIHS Rear Crash Protection test measures the protection for front-seat occupants from whiplash or neck injury. Thanks to the active head restraints, the ZDX is projected to receive the highest "GOOD" rating for both driver and passenger.
FMVSS 214 OBLIQUE POLE
The revised FMVSS 214 test is especially challenging, as it models a scenario where a vehicle slides sideways into a pole or tree, which focuses a tremendous amount of collision energy in a small area of the vehicle. A new standard will soon be introduced beginning with the 2011 model year and will continue until all new cars in 2015 meet it. The 2010 ZDX already meets this upcoming standard now, ahead of the regulation phase-in schedule.
FMVSS 216 ROOF CRUSH
The 2010 ZDX was engineered to surpass the existing government roof crush test standard of 1.5 times the curb weight of the vehicle, and is anticipated to meet the upcoming standard of three times curb weight. Efficient use of high-strength steel creates a body structure with the stiffness to allow such results while still permitting the use of the double moonroof design.
STANDARD VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST™ (VSA™) WITH TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE ASSIST
Standard equipment on the 2010 Acura ZDX is Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA™), an Electronic Stability Control system that enhances controllability while the vehicle is accelerating, braking or cornering, or when the driver makes a sudden maneuver. VSA™ has been retuned for 2010 to deliver a 10-percent improvement in performance during hard acceleration on slippery surfaces. The VSA™ works in conjunction with the vehicle's drive-by-wire throttle and its 4-channel ABS system to help the vehicle maintain the driver's intended path of travel. It functions by applying brake force to one or more wheels independently while also managing the throttle, ignition and fuel systems to reduce engine power output.
Vehicle Stability Assist™ constantly analyzes data from seven sensors that monitor wheel and vehicle speed, steering input, lateral G-forces and yaw rate, and compares the driver's control inputs with the vehicle's actual response. Whenever the vehicle's actual response falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range, VSA™ intervenes with corrective action. If VSA™ detects an oversteer condition, the system may apply braking force to the outside front and rear wheels to counteract the unintended yawing effect. Or in the event of understeer, VSA™ may apply braking to the inside rear wheel while reducing engine power to help return the car to its intended course.
Vehicle Stability Assist™ is calibrated to work in a nearly transparent manner, meaning that drivers may not even be aware of its operation. Therefore, to keep the driver informed, an indicator light flashes on the instrument panel anytime the system is enhancing vehicle stability. While the driver may deactivate the VSA™ and traction-control functions via a switch on the instrument panel, ABS and Brake Assist remain fully operational at all times.
Emergency Braking
Brake Assist, which utilizes some of the VSA™ system components, recognizes emergency braking situations and assists the driver to apply maximum braking force to slow the vehicle more quickly. This important system is controlled by special computer logic that determines when the speed and stroke of the brake pedal exceed a typical range-as they would in a panic stop. At this point the modulator pump increases braking pressure to ensure maximum stopping force and help shorten braking distance as much as possible. Brake Assist functions only when the driver is pressing the brake pedal; the additional braking force provided by the system ceases when the driver releases pressure on the brake pedal.
ADVANCED 4-CHANNEL ABS WITH ELECTRONIC BRAKE DISTRIBUTION
The 2010 Acura ZDX is equipped with 4-wheel disc brakes and a sophisticated 4-channel/4-sensor anti-lock braking system. The system helps improve active safety by offering a firm brake-pedal feel and a short activation stroke, as well as Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) circuitry that automatically proportions braking force between the front and rear wheels based on the vehicle's weight distribution. EBD helps maximize braking effectiveness whether the ZDX is transporting only the driver, or is fully loaded with passengers and luggage.
DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DUAL-STAGE, MULTIPLE-THRESHOLD AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
The ZDX is equipped with dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags (SRS).. One or both of these airbags will be deployed only in the event of a sufficient frontal impact. If deployed, these airbags are capable of being inflated at different rates depending on crash severity, seatbelt usage and other factors.. Frontal airbags are designed to supplement the seatbelts to help reduce the likelihood of head and upper body injuries in frontal crashes.
Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Airbag Parameters
- Airbag deployment thresholds are controlled depending on the severity of a collision, driver seat position, passenger weight, and the buckle status of both occupants.
- The dual-stage, multiple-threshold strategy applies to front airbags only and does not affect operation of side airbags or side curtain airbags
The ZDX airbag system uses a sensor to assess the weight of the front passenger. The front passenger airbag is shut off if the weight sensor indicates that a small child is occupying the front seat. In addition, the driver's seat has a seat position sensor: if the seat is in a more forward position (where the occupant will be close to the airbag), the airbag is fired with a longer delay to reduce the chance of injury caused by the airbag itself. A laser-cut, seamless instrument panel cover fully conceals the instrument panel-mounted passenger airbag while the driver-side front airbag is housed within the steering wheel.
DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER KNEE BOLSTERS
To help reduce the likelihood of injuries to the driver or front passenger's legs in a frontal collision, the ZDX has energy-absorbing knee bolsters. The bolsters are designed to help dissipate collision forces if the driver or front passenger's legs should contact the lower instrument panel during a frontal collision.
DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WITH FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT POSITION DETECTION SYSTEM (OPDS)
Side airbags mounted in the outboard area of each ZDX front seatback are designed to provide torso and pelvis protection in the event of a side impact. In addition, the front passenger's seat is equipped with Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), an innovative technology designed to deactivate the side airbag if a child or small-stature adult leans into the side airbag deployment path. When the passenger returns to an upright seating position, the side airbag reactivates so it can deploy to help protect the occupant in a side impact. The unique system utilizes sensors in the passenger seatback to determine the height and position of the occupant. The 2010 ZDX's side airbags have a 2-chamber design featuring a stiffer lower chamber to load the pelvis area earlier in the collision, along with a softer upper chamber to help reduce the likelihood of a rib injury.
Side Curtain Airbags
In a severe side impact or rollover, the ZDX's side curtain airbags deploy from roof-mounted modules, to help provide head protection for front and outboard rear occupants. Side curtain airbags effectively cover the side window area from the front to rear seats in both side and rollover impact collisions. Tests show that the g forces acting upon an outboard occupant's head are far lower with side curtain airbags.
*Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Models tested with standard side-impact air bags (SABs).
FRONT SEAT BELTS WITH AUTOMATIC TENSIONING SYSTEM
The ZDX front seat belts have an automatic tensioning system with load limiters to help protect the driver and front passenger in a collision. Research has shown that seat belts that are snugly secured around the occupants provide better protection; thus, in the first few milliseconds of a collision a tensioning system-powered by a small pyrotechnic device-automatically tightens the front seat belts. If deceleration forces rise above a predetermined threshold, a load limiter releases a small length of seat belt webbing to reduce the pressure applied to the occupant. The load limiter system helps reduce the injuries that seat belts can cause in a severe high-speed collision.
In addition, the driver's seat belt has a dual-stage load limiter that provides a higher initial load, and then steps down to a lower load after a certain amount of the seat belt spools out. The dual-stage load limiter is specially designed to prevent too much forward driver movement, given the close proximity of the steering wheel.
All ZDX seating positions feature 3-point seat belts, and adjustable shoulder belt height is available for front seat passengers. The rear center seat belt buckle stores in a recessed pocket when not in use.
LATCH (LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN)
The 2010 ZDX includes a LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child-seat mounting system for the outboard rear seating positions. LATCH features built-in lower anchors and ready-to-use tether attachment points that allow compatible child safety seats to be installed without using the vehicle's seat belt system. Additionally, the LATCH system simplifies child-seat installation when an owner installs a LATCH-compatible child seat. The center rear seat position has upper tether anchors only.
ACTIVE FRONT HEAD RESTRAINTS
The 2010 ZDX is fitted with active front head restraints designed to help minimize the risk of neck injuries in the event of a rear impact. The head restraint is mechanically linked to a lumbar plate located inside of the front seatback. In a rear impact, the occupant's body pushes against the seatback, causing the head restraint to move forward in a carefully prescribed arc. This motion helps equalize the impact forces transmitted to the head, neck and spine as the occupant's head moves backward during the collision. Effectively managing and dispersing this energy is critical to help minimize the potential for injuries.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)
Standard on the ZDX (and every other Acura model) is a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that alerts the driver whenever the air pressure in one or more of the tires decreases below a specified level. Using four sensors (one in each tire), TPMS transmits information on tire air pressure to the vehicle's ECU. A low tire pressure indicator located on the instrument panel illuminates when tire pressure drops to a potentially critical level.
FUEL TANK SAFETY
The ZDX's 21-gallon fuel tank is positioned in front of the rear body-deformation zone to help minimize the risk of damage in a collision. Locating the fuel tank in this protected area optimizes vehicle balance by moving the weight of the fuel tank farther forward. High-strength steel, which is used to help the ZDX meet the offset rear collision testing that is part of the federal FMVSS 301 fuel system integrity standard, is also used to help protect the fuel tank.
COLLISION MITIGATING BRAKING SYSTEM™ (CMBS™)
The ZDX Advance Package includes a Collision Mitigating Braking System™ (CMBS™), the first application of this technology on an Acura SUV. This revolutionary safety technology monitors the likelihood of a rear-end collision, and uses audio, visual and tactile signals to alert drivers to the risk of collision. Should the system determine that a collision likely is unavoidable, it applies the ZDX's brakes and tensions the front seat belts to help reduce impact force on occupants. Unlike pre-collision systems on competitive vehicles, in certain circumstances CMBS™ automatically applies the brakes to help mitigate the severity of a collision.
Using a millimeter-wave radar unit located inside the front grille, the CMBS™ system monitors the distance between the ZDX and the vehicle directly in front of it up to a distance of 300 feet, and tracks the rate of closure between the two vehicles. If the closing rate increases to a point where a collision is likely to occur (based on relative vehicle speeds and following distance), the CMBS™ system uses visual and audible warnings to prompt the driver to take preventative action. Based on the driver's response, the system will disengage if it determines that the likelihood of a collision has decreased to an acceptable level.
If the driver's response does not sufficiently reduce the risk of a collision, the CMBS™ system will issue a secondary warning consisting of audible, visual and tactile elements as well as light braking to alert the driver to take action. If the closing rate increases so much that a collision becomes seemingly unavoidable, CMBS™ can initiate hard braking to reduce the vehicle's speed as well as automatically tension the driver and front passenger seat belts to help reduce the severity of the crash. In some circumstance, CMBS will not give any or all warnings before applying the brakes.
The CMBS™ system used in the ZDX's Advance Package is similar in concept to the one used on the Acura RL, and its special seat belt retractors replace the standard automatic tensioning system found on the base ZDX and the ZDX with Technology Package.