Briefing

400, 800 or no limit – optimal additional cab length

July 29, 2014

The European Commission has proposed to allow lorry makers to produce slightly longer cabs on the condition that they are shown to be safer and more aerodynamic. Existing lorry cab designs are dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists because of their flat front and many blind spots. The Commission refrained from setting a specific length limit and wants to define this through comitology (meetings with member states and the Commission). This T&E note looks at the different length options for safer lorries.

Lorry cabs could be designed in a more fuel efficient and safer manner if they’d be slightly longer. For aerodynamic purposes a much longer nose would be optimal (eg. bullet train). This is also true for the crash box: the longer the depth, the more of the impact energy can be absorbed by the box, reducing intrusions into the passenger compartment. A longer nose would also largely eliminate the blind spot in front of the cab and allow for a much bigger windscreen.

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