Over the past 25 years, pedestrian deaths have increased by 37% and cyclist deaths by 42%. Against this backdrop, researchers began to look more closely at the factors that could explain this alarming trend. One of them is the deterioration of visibility from the car interior, not because of dirty glass or driver inattention, but because of the design of modern cars.
Research The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) set out to measure how much less drivers of today’s cars see than those who drove similar models in 1997. For this purpose, analysts selected 17 cars among 6 popular models: Ford F-150, Chevrolet Suburban, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Toyota Camry і Jeep Grand Cherokee. The study used models from 1997 and 2023. The researchers compared the oldest and newest versions of each car using a 360-degree camera from the driver’s point of view.
What the researchers saw — and what drivers no longer see
The results were alarming. For example, visibility within a 10-meter radius has decreased:
- by 58% for some crossovers;
- by 17% in the Ford F-150 (but it was already low in 1997);
- by less than 8% for sedans (Camry, Accord), i.e. within the statistical error.
The worst result was shown by the Honda CR-V. In the 1997 model, the driver could see 68% of the space in front of the car at a distance of up to 10 meters. The 2022 CR-V has only 28%. The same level was shown by the 2023 Chevrolet Suburban, although previously drivers could see 56% of the space.
The main reasons are high hoods, massive side mirrors, and wide body pillars. All of this blocks the view, especially in front and at the corners of the car, where pedestrians and cyclists often stand.
Crossovers have become much more popular over the past two decades. Along with this, the number of models with poorer visibility has increased on the road. IIHS Senior Research Engineer Becky Mueller explains:
“We already know that the share of crossovers in the car fleet has increased significantly. If further research confirms a general decline in visibility in these classes, it will mean that the risks are increasing not only because of the size and shape of the body, but also because of the banal “can’t see”.”
In general, cars are getting bigger, taller, and more aggressive, but at the same time — they allow you to see less. For modern car design, this is a serious challenge: beauty and scale should not be at odds with safety.
Source: carscoops
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