On 30 May 2023, a van equipped with Syncro System racking was subjected to a crash test at the Stellantis plant in Turin. The result was 100% satisfactory. The racking passed the test with full marks, doing even better than in the previous crash test, carried out in 2015.
The test was carried out at the Orbassano Safety Centre where all safety testing and crash testing of vehicle bodywork and interiors is performed.
In the test, the vehicle with the Syncro System racking inside was mounted on a special test track platform. Normal on-road motion was simulated by the action of a piston that propelled the vehicle against a point of impact with measurements taken by an accelerometer. The entire test was filmed by a series of cameras installed at various points and results were analysed using digital engineering methods.
Syncro System had its racking subjected to a crash test for the first time in 2015. Even then, the results were more than satisfactory. For the 2023 test, the load carried by each module of racking was increased, taking the total to 160 kg. Only one test was carried out, at a collision speed of 50 km/h. In it, the van actually travelled backwards but this technical detail has no influence on the results since the inertia curve is identical for both directions of travel.
Crash testing a van equipped with Syncro System racking aims to verify the safety of the racking in the event of a collision and to prove that neither the racking nor its load present any risk in the event of harsh braking or violent impacts.
A positive evaluation in a crash test allows Syncro System racking to be GS certified (Gepruefte Sicherheit). This in turn assures our customers that the products sold and installed by Syncro dealers and racking centres are perfectly safe under all conditions.
As you can see from these photos, despite the violence of the impact, the Syncro racking received very little damage, proving its robust design as well as the secure nature of the fastenings. Comparing the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos, you can see that the impact caused deformation in the side panels at the bottom of the van’s cargo compartment. This is most severe on the right. This is actually due to the flimsy nature of the vehicle’s original bodywork: weak fixing points allowed the racking’s horizontal elements to move. Despite this, no racking element or item of load fell.
In the light of this test and some serious accidents involving vehicles equipped with Syncro racking, we can conclude without a shadow of doubt that the strength of Syncro van racking prevents van users from incurring unnecessary risk in the event of a road accident.