Vehicle Aggressivity

Aggressivity and Incompatibility LitigationAuthor Keith Bradsher reported in his book High and Mighty that a retired Big Three engineerhad told him that "automakers knew that SUV's might be a problem for other roadusers, but underestimated the scope of the problem and then simply chose not todo research that might produce uncomfortable conclusions." According to theengineer "voices were heard, they just weren't listened to."If vehicle manufacturers did in fact know of potential risks, hazards and dangers of LTVaggressivity and incompatibility, and did nothing to design away, guard against or warn aboutthese known risks, hazards and dangers, manufacturers could be held accountable if theychose profits over safety.Profits should never be more important than human safety. However, LTV's have been a cashcow for the vehicle industry. Ford was making $12,000 profit per Expedition and $15,000profit per Navigator. Ford was making so much money on its SUV (Expedition and Navigatorwithout considering sales of the Explorer) program, that is was paying as much as $8,000 inprofit-sharing to each of its 100,000 UAW workers. In 1996 alone, Ford realized a $2.4billion after tax profit from sales of just the Expedition and Navigator.If marketing and management overlooked LTV design and safety concerns that were pointedout by their own engineers, then vehicle manufacturers will potentially face years oflitigation. For the time-being however, manufacturers seem content with rolling out as manyLTV's as possible to cash in on otherwise dwindling profits. As summed up by former ViceChairman of GMC on why SUV's keep getting larger and larger, Harry Pierce responded "ifpigs are big and popular, I guess we'll make pigs.”HoodClassic Bumper UnderrideThis vehicle struck the sideof a Chevy SuburbanRadiatorBumper LineRadiatorHoodDigitized vehicle (right side)Right QPLeft QPDigitized vehicle (left side)Analyzed crash test videoAnalyzed crash test videoPage 14thefirm