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Automotive vocabulary · Body Structure and Safety

Crumple zone

Meaning in automotive, with examples

nounCommon term

In automotive, crumple zone means: A part of the vehicle body, usually at the front and rear, designed to fold in a controlled way during a collision so that it absorbs energy and protects the passenger cell.

In Turkish: buruşma bölgesi, deformasyon bölgesi, ezilme bölgesi

How it is used

Used in safety engineering, sales and bodywork. Engineers design crumple zones with crash boxes and load paths; body shop technicians follow the maker's repair methods, because a badly repaired crumple zone may not work in the next crash.

Example sentences

  1. The front crumple zone absorbed most of the energy, and the cabin stayed intact.

  2. Do not straighten the crash box; the crumple zone parts must be replaced.

Common collocations

  • front crumple zone
  • crash box
  • passenger cell
  • absorb crash energy
  • crash testA controlled test in which a vehicle with instrumented dummies is crashed into a barrier, a pole or another vehicle to measure how well it protects people.
  • body-in-whiteThe stage of car production at which the sheet metal parts of the body have been welded together, before painting and before the engine, trim and other parts are added.
  • bumperThe part at the very front or rear of a car that protects the body in low-speed impacts. It usually has a plastic cover over a metal reinforcement beam.
  • airbagA fabric bag that inflates in milliseconds during a crash to cushion the occupants. Airbags work together with seat belts as part of the restraint system.

More terms: Body Structure and Safety

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