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54-609: The Bedford OXA was a British heavy improvised armoured car , produced during the Second World War . It was developed by mounting an armoured body onto a Bedford OXD 30cwt (1.5 ton) truck chassis, armed with a Boys anti-tank rifle . Its official designation was "Lorry 30cwt Anti-Tank". A total of 948 units were built in 1940–1941. The vehicle was used by regular British Army units in 1940 and British Home Guard units until 1942. Background: British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II , Tanks in

108-595: A bumper standard that yields the "maximum feasible reduction of cost to the public and to the consumer". Factors considered included the costs and benefits of implementation, the standard's effect on insurance costs and legal fees, savings in consumer time and inconvenience, as well as health and safety considerations. The 1973 model year passenger cars sold in the U.S. used a variety of designs. They ranged from non-dynamic versions with solid rubber guards, to "recoverable" designs with oil and nitrogen filled telescoping shock-absorbers. The standards were further tightened for

162-642: A car's safety systems must still function normally after a straight-on pendulum or moving-barrier impact of 4 km/h (2.5 mph) to the front and the rear, and to the front and rear corners of 2.5 km/h (1.6 mph) at 45.5 cm (18 in) above the ground with the vehicle loaded or unloaded. European countries have implemented regulations to address the issue of 270,000 deaths annually in worldwide pedestrian/auto accidents . Specialized bumpers, known as " bull bars " or "roo bars", protect vehicles in rural environments from collisions with large animals. However, studies have shown that such bars increase

216-883: A conventional military transport truck , that is able to carry a large weight of weapons and armor. They have poor off-road performance, so have mainly been used by regular armies to escort military convoys in regions subject to ambush by guerrilla forces. Narco tanks , also called as rhino trucks and monstruos is a type of improvised fighting vehicles used by drug cartels . They are civilian pickup trucks , dump trucks , semi-trucks or other large vehicles fitted with armaments, improvised vehicle armour and firing ports . Some narco tanks are even fitted with improvised battering rams to break through roadblocks . All this adds operational mobility , offensive and defensive capabilities to fight law enforcement and rivals during drug trafficking . Multiple examples of improvised fighting vehicles have been created from multiple factions in

270-627: A form of invasion defense, was often inadequately equipped throughout its existence, as the more valuable and modern equipment were issued to the regular British Army. As such, the Home Guard was often outfitted with obsolete or makeshift weapons and vehicles of dubious effectiveness. Among the improvised fighting vehicle developed for use by the Home Guard include the Armadillo , the Bison , the OXA , and

324-560: A moderate-speed collision. Around 500 people are killed this way in the United States annually. Following the June 1967 death of actress Jayne Mansfield in an auto/truck accident, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommended requiring a rear underride guard, also known as a "Mansfield bar", an " ICC bar", or a "DOT (Department of Transportation) bumper". These may not be more than 22 in (56 cm) from

378-460: A plastic cover over a reinforcement bar made of steel, aluminum, fiberglass composite, or plastic. Bumpers of most modern automobiles have been made of a combination of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) called PC/ABS. Bumpers offer protection to other vehicle components by dissipating the kinetic energy generated by an impact . This energy is a function of vehicle mass and velocity squared . The kinetic energy

432-612: A proposal to upgrade the U.S. performance requirements for underride guards. Many European nations have also required side underride guards to mitigate lethal collisions where the car impacts the truck from the side. A variety of different types of side underride guards of this nature are in use in Japan, the US, and Canada. However, they are not required in the United States. UN Regulation 58 sets forth requirements for rear underrun protective devices (RUPDs) and their installation, among which

486-522: A result of the development of new tactics for which no available vehicle was suitable. The construction of improvised fighting vehicles may also reflect a lack of means for the force that uses them. This is especially true in developing countries , where various armies and guerrilla forces have used them (e.g. during the Toyota War ), as they are more affordable and accessible than military-grade combat vehicles. An early improvised fighting vehicle

540-426: A rigid construction and do not absorb (by plastic deformation) any energy in a collision, which is more dangerous for pedestrians than factory plastic bumpers. The legality of the aftermarket off-road bumpers varies by jurisdiction. Bumper regulations in the United States focus on preventing low-speed accidents from impairing safe vehicle operation, limiting damage to safety-related vehicle components, and containing

594-543: A vehicle appears to have originated in Somalia. The name is thought to have derived from use by the Red Cross there who were often forced to bribe local militias or be the victim of robbery and attacks. The money used for the bribe was then written off as "technical expenses". They are also known as battlewagons and gunwagons. Among irregular armies, often centered around the perceived strength and charisma of warlords,

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648-498: A vehicle's bumper systems are designed to absorb the energy of low-speed collisions and help protect the car's safety and other expensive nearby components, most bumpers are designed to meet only the minimum regulatory standards. International safety regulations , devised initially as European standards under the auspices of the United Nations , have now been adopted by most countries outside North America. These specify that

702-455: Is a structure attached to or integrated with the front and rear ends of a motor vehicle , to absorb impact in a minor collision, ideally minimizing repair costs. Stiff metal bumpers appeared on automobiles as early as 1904 that had a mainly ornamental function. Numerous developments, improvements in materials and technologies, as well as greater focus on functionality for protecting vehicle components and improving safety have changed bumpers over

756-410: Is crucial that front bumpers be the first parts of a vehicle to make contact in the event of a frontal collision, to leave sufficient time to inflate the protective cushions. Energy-absorbing crush zones are completely ineffective if they are physically bypassed; an extreme example of this occurs when the elevated platform of a tractor-trailer completely misses the front bumper of a passenger car, and

810-452: Is equal to 1/2 the product of the mass and the square of the speed. In formula form: A bumper that protects vehicle components from damage at 5 miles per hour must be four times as tough as a bumper that protects at 2.5 miles per hour, with the collision energy dissipation concentrated at the extreme front and rear of the vehicle. Small increases in bumper protection can lead to weight gain and loss of fuel efficiency . Until 1959, rigidity

864-521: Is that trucks and trailers of various types must have such devices with height above the ground not more than 45 cm (17.7 in), 50 cm (19.7 in), or 55 cm (21.7 in). Mismatches between SUV bumper heights and passenger car side impact beams have allowed serious injuries at relatively low speeds. In the United States, NHTSA is studying how to address this issue as of 2014 . Beyond lethal interactions, repair costs of passenger car/SUV collisions can also be significant due to

918-542: The Chevrolet Monte Carlo starting in 1978, with significantly lower mass than heavy chromed-steel bumpers with separate impact energy absorbers. The bumper regulations applied to all passenger cars, both American-made and imported. With exceptions including the Volvo 240 , Porsche 911 , and Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow , European and Asian automakers tended to put compliant bumpers only on cars destined for

972-889: The Kharkiv Tractor Factory ) based on the chassis of an STZ-3 tractor. An improvised armoured car built on a Chevrolet 157 truck chassis by the Polish resistance Home Army in 1944. Typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability. It is usually an open-backed civilian pickup truck or 4x4 on which is mounted a machine gun , a light anti-aircraft gun , recoilless rifle , rotary cannon , anti-tank weapon , anti-tank gun , anti-tank guided missile , mortar , multiple rocket launcher , rocket pods salvaged from downed attack helicopters or other relatively small weapons system along with optional add-ons like improvised vehicle armour . The term "technical" used to describe such

1026-736: The North African Campaign of World War II , the Special Air Service specialised in carrying out hit-and-run attacks , in particular against Axis airfields. As no vehicle was adapted to this kind of mission, the SAS were forced to build their own. Heavily modified Lend-Lease jeeps became the trademark weapon of the SAS. The windscreens, and sometimes the bumper were removed, in order to save weight and permit an extra payload to be carried. The radiator grille bars were often removed to allow more airflow to better cool

1080-534: The Standard Beaverette . An improvised Soviet armoured fighting vehicle , based on an STZ-5 agricultural tractor , manufactured in Odessa during the early stages of World War II. The NI tank's name is an abbreviation of " Na Ispug " ( Russian : На Испуг ), which literally translates to "for fear". It was also called the "Odessa tank" and "terror tank". Another type of vehicle was KhTZ-16 (named after

1134-799: The Syrian Civil war , and the War In Iraq. Armament, and thickness of armor varies on different examples, along with the chassis they are designed on. They are used as SVBIED's , armored cars , improvised tanks , and improvised armored personnel carriers . Throughout both the 2014 War in Donbas and the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine , both sides used improvised fighting vehicles for purposes such as hit-and-run attacks or anti-drone defenses. Ukrainian forces reportedly used rocket launchers recovered from downed helicopters, mounted on technicals. Bumper (automobile) A bumper

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1188-455: The "Phase I" standard. At the same time, a zero-damage requirement, "Phase II", was enacted for bumper systems on 1980 and newer cars. The most rigorous requirements applied to 1980 through 1982 model vehicles; 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) front and rear barrier and pendulum crash tests were required, and no damage was allowed to the bumper beyond a 3 ⁄ 8  in (10 mm) dent and 3 ⁄ 4  in (19 mm) displacement from

1242-467: The 1910s and 1920s, the absence of a doctrine for the military use of automobiles or of an industry dedicated to producing them led to a great deal of improvisation in the creation of early armored cars and similar vehicles. In the 1930s and 1940s, despite the advent of arms industries producing armored fighting vehicles in many countries, several armies still resorted to using ad hoc contraptions, often in response to unexpected military situations, or as

1296-424: The 1974 model year passenger cars, with standardized height front and rear bumpers that could take angle impacts at 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) with no damage to the car's lights, safety equipment, and engine. There was no provision in the law for consumers to 'opt out' of this protection. The regulations specified bumper performance; they did not prescribe any particular bumper design. Nevertheless, many cars for

1350-495: The British Army This United Kingdom military article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This military vehicle article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Improvised fighting vehicle Various militias and official militaries have improvised such vehicles ever since the introduction of the first automobiles into military service. During

1404-589: The Canadian requirements were not lowered to 4 km/h (2.5 mph) in 1982 as was done in the United States. Some automakers provided stronger Canadian-specification bumpers throughout the North American market, while others chose weaker bumpers in the U.S. market. This limited grey import vehicles between the U.S. and Canada. In early 2009, Canada's regulation shifted to harmonize with U.S. Federal standards and international UN Regulations . As in

1458-564: The U.S. and Canadian markets where the regulations applied. This meant their North American-spec cars tended to look different than versions of the same model sold elsewhere. U.S. bumper-height requirements effectively made some models, such as the Citroën SM , ineligible for importation to the United States. Unlike international safety regulations , U.S. regulations were written without provision for hydropneumatic suspension . The requirements promulgated under MVICS were consolidated with

1512-416: The U.S. market were equipped with bulky, massive, protruding bumpers to comply with the 5-mile-per-hour bumper standard in effect from 1973 to 1982. This often meant additional overall vehicle length, as well as new front and rear designs to incorporate the stronger energy-absorbing bumpers, adding weight to the extremities of the vehicle. Passenger cars featured gap-concealing flexible filler panels between

1566-495: The bumper's original position. All-wheel-drive "cross-over" cars such as the AMC Eagle were classified as multi-purpose vehicles or trucks, and thus exempt from the passenger car bumper standards. The recently elected Reagan administration had pledged to use cost–benefit analysis to reduce regulatory burdens on industry, which impacted this standard. As discussed in detail under Physics , before 1959, people believed

1620-504: The bumpers and the car's bodywork causing them to have a "massive, blockish look". However, other bumper designs also met the requirements. The 1973 AMC Matador coupe had free-standing bumpers with rubber gaiters alone to conceal the retractable shock absorbers. "Endura" bumpers, compliant with the regulations yet tightly integrated into the front bodywork, were used on models such as the Pontiac Grand Am starting in 1973 and

1674-551: The corner crash test speeds from 3 miles per hour (5 km/h) to 1.5 miles per hour (2 km/h). In addition, the zero-damage Phase II requirement was rolled back to the damage allowances of Phase I. At the same time, a passenger car bumper height requirement of 16 to 20 inches (41–51 cm) was established for passenger cars. NHTSA evaluated the results of its change in 1987, noting it resulted in lower weight and manufacturing costs, offset by higher repair costs. Despite these findings, consumer and insurance groups decried

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1728-513: The costs of repair after a crash. In 1971, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the country's first regulation applicable to passenger car bumpers. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 215 (FMVSS 215), "Exterior Protection," took effect on 1 September 1972—when most automakers would begin producing their model year 1973 vehicles. The standard prohibited functional damage to specified safety-related components such as headlamps and fuel system components when

1782-496: The ends of the vehicle, thereby increasing occupant protection from progressive crumpling in a serious accident. They are no longer made of steel and rubber, but of a plastic outer fascia over a lightweight, impact-absorbing polystyrene foam core. Automobile bumper standards in Canada were first enacted simultaneously as those in the United States. These were closely similar to the 8 km/h (5 mph) U.S. regulation, and

1836-527: The engine in the hot desert climate. Different weapons arrays were carried, including different combinations of various Browning and Vickers K machine guns according to available supply. The SAS jeeps were used during the whole North African Campaign, and later in Europe, where they were used for sabotage missions behind enemy lines. The Home Guard , an armed citizen militia of the British Army as

1890-420: The first contact is with the glass windshield of the passenger compartment. Underride collisions , in which a smaller vehicle such as a passenger sedan slides under a larger vehicle such as a tractor-trailer often result in severe injuries or fatalities. The platform bed of a typical tractor-trailer is at the head height of seated adults in a typical passenger car and thus can cause severe head trauma in even

1944-624: The height mismatch. This mismatch can result in vehicles being so severely damaged that they are inoperable after low-speed collisions. In most jurisdictions, bumpers are legally required on all vehicles. Regulations for automobile bumpers have been implemented for two reasons – to allow the car to sustain a low-speed impact without damage to the vehicle's safety systems, and to protect pedestrians from injury. These requirements conflict: bumpers that withstand impact well and minimize repair costs tend to injure pedestrians more, while pedestrian-friendly bumpers tend to have higher repair costs. Although

1998-452: The mid-1910s, but consisted of a strip of steel across the front and back. Often treated as an optional accessory, bumpers became more and more common in the 1920s as automobile designers made them more complex and substantial. Over the next decades, chrome-plated bumpers became heavy, elaborative, and increasingly decorative until the late 1950s when U.S. automakers began establishing new bumper trends and brand-specific designs. The 1960s saw

2052-433: The pitch of each vehicle, so bumpers can bypass each other when the vehicles collide. Preventing override and underride can be accomplished by extremely tall bumper surfaces. Active suspension is another solution to keeping the vehicle level. Bumper height from the roadway surface is essential in engaging other protective systems. Airbag deployment sensors typically do not trigger until contact with an obstruction, and it

2106-413: The prestige power of technicals is strong. According to one article, "The Technical is the most significant symbol of power in southern Somalia. It is a small truck with large tripod machine guns mounted on the back. A warlord's power is measured by how many of these vehicles he has." An improvised military armoured vehicle used by units of regular armies or other official government armed forces, based on

2160-616: The requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 215 (FMVSS 215, "Exterior Protection of Vehicles") and promulgated in March 1976. This new bumper standard was placed in the United States Code of Federal Regulations at 49 CFR 581, separate from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards at 49CFR571. The new requirements, applicable to 1979- model year passenger cars, were called

2214-563: The results, including repair costs. Car makers that do well in these tests tend to publicize the results. In 1990, the IIHS conducted four crash tests on three different-year examples of the Plymouth Horizon . The results illustrate the effect of the changes to the U.S. bumper regulations (repair costs are quoted in 1990 United States dollars ): Today's bumpers are designed to mitigate injuries to pedestrians and minimize weight at

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2268-413: The road. The U.S. trucking industry has been slow to upgrade this safety feature, and there are no requirements to repair ICC bars damaged in service. However, in 1996 NHTSA upgraded the requirements for the rear underride prevention structure on truck trailers, and Transport Canada went further with an even more stringent requirement for energy-absorbing rear underride guards. In July 2015, NHTSA issued

2322-536: The stronger the structure, including the bumpers, the safer the car. A later analysis led to the understanding of crumple zones , rather than rigid construction that proved deadly to passengers because the force from impact went straight inside the vehicle and onto the passenger. NHTSA amended the bumper standard in May 1982, halving the front and rear crash test speeds for 1983 and newer car bumpers from 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) to 2.5 miles per hour (4 km/h), and

2376-714: The threat of death and serious injury to pedestrians in urban environments, because the bull bar is rigid and transmits all force of a collision to the pedestrian, unlike a bumper, which absorbs some force and crumples. In the European Union , the sale of rigid metal bull bars that do not comply with the relevant pedestrian-protection safety standards has been banned. Off-road vehicles often utilize aftermarket off-road bumpers made of heavy gauge metal to improve clearance (height above terrain), maximize departure angles, clear larger tires, and ensure additional protection. Similar or identical to bull bars, off-road bumpers feature

2430-587: The truck driver and steel plating covered the truck radiator. Construction took less than one day at the Great Southern Railways workshop. After the rising, the locomotive parts were returned to the railway and the truck returned to its owners. Piłsudski's Tank was an improvised armoured car used by the Polish military during the Polish-Ukrainian War . It was created on the basis of a truck of unknown brand. Created during

2484-437: The use of bumper covers made of flexible materials. Front bumpers, especially, have been lowered and made of softer materials, such as foams and crushable plastics, to reduce the severity of impact on legs. For passenger cars, the height and placement of bumpers are legally specified under both U.S. and EU regulations. Bumpers do not protect against moderate-speed collisions, because during emergency braking, suspension changes

2538-415: The use of lighter chrome-plated blade-like bumpers with a painted metal valance filling the space below it. Multi-piece construction became the norm as automakers incorporated grilles , lighting , and even rear exhaust into the bumpers. On the 1968 Pontiac GTO , General Motors incorporated an "Endura" body-colored plastic front bumper designed to absorb low-speed impact without permanent deformation. It

2592-505: The vehicle is subjected to barrier crash tests at 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) for front and 2.5 mph (4 km/h) for rear bumper systems. The requirements effectively eliminated automobile bumper designs that featured integral automotive lighting components such as tail lamps. In October 1972, the U.S. Congress enacted the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Saving Act (MVICS), which required NHTSA to issue

2646-620: The weakened bumper standard. They argued that the 1982 standard increased overall consumer costs without any attendant benefits except for automakers. In 1986, Consumers Union petitioned NHTSA to return to the Phase II standard and disclose bumper strength information to consumers. In 1990, NHTSA rejected that petition. In the United States, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) subjects vehicles to low-speed barrier tests (6 mph or 9.7 km/h) and publishes

2700-490: The years. Bumpers ideally minimize height mismatches between vehicles and protect pedestrians from injury . Regulatory measures have been enacted to reduce vehicle repair costs and, more recently, impact on pedestrians. Bumpers were, at first, just rigid metal bars. George Albert Lyon invented the earliest car bumper. The first bumper appeared on a vehicle in 1897, and Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, an Austrian carmaker, installed it. The construction of these bumpers

2754-629: Was constructed for the British Army in Dublin during the Easter Rising in 1916. It was made from a three-ton Daimler truck commandeered from the Dublin Guinness brewery. An armoured body was mounted on the truck, built from the smokeboxes of several steam locomotives . The body had loopholes cut in it for riflemen to fire through and was painted with black spots that acted as dummy loopholes to confuse snipers. A steel box protected

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2808-464: Was featured in a TV advertisement with John DeLorean hitting the bumper with a sledgehammer and no damage resulted. Similar elastomeric bumpers were available on the front and rear of the 1970-71 Plymouth Barracuda . In 1971, Renault introduced a plastic bumper ( sheet moulding compound ) on the Renault 5 . Current design practice is for the bumper structure on modern automobiles to consist of

2862-441: Was seen as beneficial to occupant safety among automotive engineers . Modern theories of vehicle crashworthiness point in the opposite direction, towards vehicles that crumple progressively . A completely rigid vehicle might have excellent bumper protection for vehicle components, but would offer poor occupant safety . Bumpers are increasingly being designed to mitigate injury to pedestrians struck by cars, such as through

2916-407: Was unreliable as they featured only a cosmetic function. Early car owners had the front spring hanger bolt replaced with ones long enough to attach a metal bar. G.D. Fisher patented a bumper bracket to simplify the attachment of the accessory. The first bumper designed to absorb impacts appeared in 1901. It was made of rubber, and Frederick Simms gained a patent in 1905. Automakers added bumpers in

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