Minicar RSV
Encyclopedia
The Minicar RSV was a concept automobile created in the United States
by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) to find ways to decrease highway fatalities. The design was picked in 1975 from a competition between Calspan & Minicars, after rejecting unsuitable concepts presented by the domestic automakers. The car itself was completed sometime between 1976 & 1980: at least 14 were produced & demonstrated on television & at county fairs. The program was terminated at the start of the Reagan Administration
, and most of the test vehicles were destroyed by 1991. In the late 2000s, two vehicles were found, and NHTSA paid to bring one to semi-usable status for further study.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
(NHTSA) to find ways to decrease highway fatalities. The design was picked in 1975 from a competition between Calspan & Minicars, after rejecting unsuitable concepts presented by the domestic automakers. The car itself was completed sometime between 1976 & 1980: at least 14 were produced & demonstrated on television & at county fairs. The program was terminated at the start of the Reagan Administration
Reagan Administration
The United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
, and most of the test vehicles were destroyed by 1991. In the late 2000s, two vehicles were found, and NHTSA paid to bring one to semi-usable status for further study.
Specifications
- Doors: 2 gull wing
- Features: airbags; run-flat tires; did NOT have seat beltSeat beltA seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s in the front - Frame: plastic-composite and steelSteelSteel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
mix - Mileage: 32mpg est.
- Powerplant: Honda EF
- Seating: 4 passengers
External links
- "How the U.S. Government Killed the Safest Car Ever Built" on JalopnikJalopnikJalopnik is a Weblog covering cars, car culture, and the automotive industry. Owned and operated by Gawker Media since 2004, Jalopnik emphasizes irreverent humor....
- Reddit Thread on Jalopnik article