Safety research in the run-up to series production: 50 years of Mercedes-Benz ESF 05

Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz continues to set standards in automotive safety. As early as the 1970s, the brand was building more than 30 test vehicles for research into future safety systems as part of the ESF program (Experimental Safety Vehicles, ESV). Fifty years ago, the Mercedes-Benz ESF 50 experimental safety vehicle was presented to the public as the first vehicle in this series. Since then, other ESFs of the brand have followed, most recently the ESF 05 with a focus on electric and autonomous driving. The ESF 2019 will be presented at the 05nd ESV conference from October 2th to 26th, 29 in Sindelfingen. The vehicle is based on the mid-range W 1971 series ("Stroke Eight"). The ESF 114 anticipates numerous innovations for active and passive safety, some of which will not be ready for series production until years later: These include the ABS anti-lock braking system, the airbag and the belt tensioner.

50 years of Mercedes-Benz ESF 05

Keyword passive safety: The topic of occupant protection is never finished. For example, the engineers are currently working on innovative safety systems for new vehicle interior concepts. For example, how are the occupants of autonomous cars protected when they use swivel armchairs, sit at right angles to the direction of travel or even assume a lying position? And how can pedestrian and cyclist injuries be further reduced if they collide with a vehicle, because in many cities their paths intersect with those of cars more and more often?

Security is gaining in importance

In the mid-1960s, the number of traffic accidents rose rapidly with increasing motorization. In 1970 there was a sad record: 19.193 people lost their lives on the streets of West Germany alone. This development is similar in other countries and can already be foreseen in previous years. In response, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) started a program to develop experimental safety vehicles in 1968. This has resulted in the “Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles”, which has been held since 1970.

The American government wants to set up the program internationally. In 1970, for example, the “European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee” (EEVC) was set up. As a pioneer in the field of passive safety, Mercedes-Benz has supported the new organizations from the start. The requirements for ESF vehicles are defined in 1970. These include the front and rear impact with a solid obstacle at 80 km / h and a side impact with a mast at 20 km / h. The vehicles should withstand smaller accidents at up to 16 km / h without permanent deformation at the front and rear. An automatic belt system is also provided.

Safety first with the ESF 05 experimental safety vehicle

At this point in time, Mercedes-Benz had long been committed to safety. The brand can therefore already draw on a wealth of experience for the passenger cars of the ESF program. The ESF 05 has numerous special features: In addition to the three-point belts that you can fasten yourself, it has several airbags. They are located in front of the driver and front passenger and also in the backrests of the front seats, where they protect the rear passengers.

Measures have also been implemented to meet the requirements for front and rear impacts: the body structure of the research vehicle is stiffened at the front and sides. It also has a wheelbase extension by 100 millimeters, a front extension by 370 millimeters, a V6 test engine to gain space for deformation, a dashboard with a sheet metal impact body in the area of ​​the front passenger and numerous padding in various impact areas using polyurethane foam.

The front vent windows in the doors have been omitted, and electric window regulators make the cranks in doors superfluous. The headlights are equipped with headlamp leveling and a window cleaning system, and the front and rear windows are made of laminated glass. Finally, the ESF 05 is equipped with an ABS brake. The overall length increases by 655 millimeters to 5.349 millimeters compared to the series sedan, and the curb weight increases by 655 kilograms to 2.060 kilograms.

The continuation of the ESF program

Mercedes-Benz developed a total of 35 vehicles as part of the ESF program and initially presented four of them to the public between 1971 and 1974. After the ESF 05, in June 1972 in Washington on the occasion of the 3rd ESV conference, it is the ESF 13, a stylistic further development of the ESF 05 ESV conference shown in Kyoto. Today it can be seen in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. At the 22th ESV conference, the brand is presenting a further modified S-Class from the same series.

A look at the more recent times: As a continuous pacemaker in matters of safety, the brand is moving into the spotlight at the 21st ESV conference in Stuttgart in June 2009 on the ESF 2009 based on the S-Class of the 221 series. Or the ESF 2019: Like all vehicles in this program, which has now been running for 50 years, it is once again picking up on trends that point far into the future. It is about the safety of electric drives and batteries in the event of accidents and also about occupant protection in fully autonomous driving. More and more sophisticated assistance systems help prevent collisions. Vehicle safety research and development continues. Preparations for the 27th ESV conference in April 2023 in Yokohama are already in full swing.

With their safety innovations, vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz ESF 05 have played their part in the fact that the number of deaths in road traffic has been falling dramatically for 50 years. To take another look at Germany: In 2020 the number of deaths will be 2.719 - for all of today's federal territory including the eastern and western states together. That is an enormous improvement - with a simultaneous significant increase in the number of kilometers driven in road traffic.

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Safety research in the run-up to series production: 50 years of Mercedes-Benz ESF 05
Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz

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