Crashing cars: How Chery Auto is making cars safer

You know that a company really wants to get a message across when it spends over P6 million for two events that, combined, last for less than 10 seconds. They spent that amount because they crashed and wrecked three brand new large SUVs in the name of a safety demonstration.

I am talking about Chery Auto. I was at Chery’s Longshan Testing Centre in Wuhu, Anhui Province in China last month, two days after we visited the Shanghai Auto Show. We were at the Testing Centre to see how Chery tests its cars, from driving through knee-high water, to seeing how seven cars stacked on top of each other would hold up (not a dent or dimple on the bottommost car; its pillars and windows all intact and four doors and tailgate opening smoothly).   

Of course, the highlight of the day was the two crash tests: a full-frontal crash at 56 km/h between two identical Chery Tiggo 9 plug-in hybrid vehicles—the new flagship of the Chery Tiggo SUV lineup that’s yet to arrive in the Philippines—and a rollover test with another Tiggo 9 PHEV doing 68 km/h.  

The 56 km/h speed is the standard frontal crash test speed in the global New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) while 68 km/h is the standard for rollover crash tests.

We were allowed to climb up the overhead walkways to get a good view of the “accident.” The assemblage of over 300 media and dealer guests waited with bated breath as the safety sirens sounded, signifying an imminent crash test occurring. Then the sound of two cars accelerating from opposite directions headed towards each other. 

WHAM!!!!! 

The sight and sound of the impact was spectacular as the rear ends of the two large and heavy vehicles lifted in the air from the momentum. Then an eerie silence in the aftermath.

Then before the assembled audience can close their dropped jaws, a team of Chery engineers holding various tools and instruments swarmed over the car, taking photos and measuring crumpled panels and, more importantly, testing to see if all airbags deployed and if all doors can be opened. (All airbags deployed and all four doors opened normally.) Impressive also that, despite having done these tests on the same car numerous times with virtually identical results, the engineers still meticulously inspected the car and the crash test dummies in the cabin. (The dummies have sensors that measure the forces the impact exerts on their bodies to see the severity of the injuries, if any, an occupant might experience) 

We were then allowed to go near the car and inspect it ourselves. 

Next up was the rollover test. A single Chery Tiggo 9 PHEV drove to 68 km/h, after which the driver-side wheels went over a ramp, flipping over the vehicle a meter in the air, landing on its roof, and sliding for a good 200 meters before coming to a full stop, still upside down.   

Again, all doors opened and all airbags deployed, the dummies inside experiencing virtually no major injuries. Chery did its homework engineering this car. 

And it’s not just for show. The brand has earned 5-star safety ratings from no less than the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). Philippine-market models like the Tiggo 5X/Tiggo Cross, the Tiggo 7 Pro, and the Tiggo 8 Pro (which comes in 1.6T 4×2, 2.0T 4×4, and PHEV variants) have all achieved five-star ratings from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), reflecting Chery’s commitment to passenger protection and advanced safety features.

Chery’s dedication to safety is evident in the consistent 5-star ANCAP ratings across multiple models. The Tiggo 8 Pro achieved 88% for Adult Occupant Protection, 87% for Child Occupant Protection, 79% for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 86% for Safety Assist. 

The Tiggo 7 Pro, on the other hand, scored 88% in Adult Occupant Protection, 87% in Child Occupant Protection, 72% in Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 86% in Safety Assist. 

The Tiggo 4 Pro (called Tiggo 5X and now Tiggo Cross in the Philippines) received 88% for Adult Occupant Protection, 87% for Child Occupant Protection, 79% for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 85% for Safety Assist.

Chery vehicles use high-strength steel and are equipped with a suite of advanced safety technologies designed to prevent accidents and protect occupants, examples of which are:

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB): Detects potential collisions and applies brakes automatically

Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW): Help maintain lane discipline

Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert: Enhance awareness of surrounding traffic

Driver Monitoring Systems: Detect signs of fatigue or distraction

These features, combined with robust structural designs, contribute to the overall safety of Chery vehicles. 

Beyond active safety systems, Chery emphasizes structural integrity with the following systems:

High-Strength Steel Construction: Used extensively in vehicle frames to absorb and distribute impact forces.

Comprehensive Airbag Systems: Including dual front, side, curtain, and driver knee airbags.

Advanced Seatbelt Systems: With pre-tensioners and load limiters to reduce injury risk.

As we witnessed during the crash tests, these elements work in tandem to effectively provide a protective shell for occupants during collisions. 

For car buyers looking for vehicles that combine affordability with a strong safety profile, Chery presents a compelling option. In an age of nearly daily viral videos of kamote and reckless driving-caused accidents, being in a car that you know gives state-of-the-art collision protection is now a strong selling proposition.