Mercedes-Benz Stages Spectacular T-Bone Crash Test to Demonstrate the New CLA’s Safety

• Two Mercedes-Benz CLA models, each weighing more than two tonnes, were involved in a side-impact collision at 56 km/h per vehicle, without braking before impact.
• All eight crash-test dummies recorded measurements below established biomechanical thresholds, while the electric CLA’s battery remained intact.
• Mercedes-Benz introduced a new technology called Rescue Intelligence, designed to provide emergency responders with critical accident information starting in 2027.

A More Severe Crash Than Conventional Safety Standards Require

Mercedes-Benz has conducted a particularly dramatic demonstration of the new CLA’s safety capabilities. The German automaker organized what it describes as a world first: a public high-speed side-impact crash test involving two moving production vehicles.

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The test involved a Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake (not available in North America) equipped with an electrified internal combustion engine and an all-electric CLA sedan. Both vehicles weighed more than two tonnes and were travelling at 56 km/h at the moment of impact. The Shooting Brake struck the driver’s side of the electric sedan directly, with neither vehicle applying its brakes beforehand.

Rather than a conventional crash test against a stationary barrier, the exercise recreated an especially severe intersection collision.

According to Mercedes-Benz’s accident research, this speed falls at the upper end of collisions recorded at intersections. The automaker also notes that approximately one-quarter of accidents involving injuries are side-impact collisions.

This type of accident presents a significant engineering challenge. Unlike a frontal collision, where crumple zones can absorb a substantial amount of energy, doors and side structures provide considerably less space to protect occupants.

For electric vehicles, another concern comes into play: protecting the high-voltage battery mounted beneath the floor. Despite the direct impact to the side of the vehicle, the electric CLA’s high-voltage battery sustained no damage.

This is particularly interesting considering that one of the main criticisms surrounding electric vehicles is their repairability following an accident. In many cases, even relatively minor impacts can result in repair costs high enough to make fixing the vehicle economically unjustifiable.

Encouraging Results for Occupants and Battery Protection

Despite the severity of the collision, Mercedes-Benz reports that both passenger compartments maintained their structural integrity.

The eight crash-test dummies, representing four adults and four children, recorded values below established biomechanical injury thresholds. Each dummy was equipped with up to 150 measurement points to assess the forces exerted on different parts of the body.

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According to the manufacturer, the results indicate a low risk of serious or fatal injuries under the specific conditions of this test.

However, these findings come from a crash test conducted by Mercedes-Benz itself. They do not replace independent safety evaluations carried out by organizations such as the IIHS, Euro NCAP, NHTSA or Transport Canada, whose testing protocols allow consumers to compare different vehicles.

It is also worth remembering that the CLA’s advanced driver assistance systems are designed to prevent certain collisions or reduce their severity. For this demonstration, these systems were deliberately not used to slow either vehicle before impact.

Up to 15,000 Crash Simulations for Every New Model

Vehicle safety has long been a major focus of Mercedes-Benz’s development efforts.

The automaker has been investigating and reconstructing real-world accidents since 1969. Its research teams, operating in countries including Germany, China and India, have analyzed approximately 6,000 accidents to improve vehicle structures and occupant restraint systems.

Today, the development of a new Mercedes-Benz model involves approximately 15,000 digital crash simulations. Artificial intelligence also plays a role in improving the accuracy of predictive models.

These simulations are complemented by approximately 150 physical crash tests, a testing program that goes beyond regulatory requirements.

This approach allows Mercedes-Benz to investigate less common but potentially dangerous accident scenarios, such as the T-bone collision demonstrated with the two CLA models.

Rescue Intelligence: Preparing Emergency Responders Before They Arrive

Mercedes-Benz also used the demonstration to introduce a new technology called Rescue Intelligence.

Its gradual rollout is expected to begin in 2027. The objective is to transmit certain information directly from a vehicle involved in an accident to emergency services before first responders arrive at the scene.

Depending on technical availability, firefighters could receive information about the number of occupants, airbag deployment, seat belt status, which doors are open, battery temperature and the condition of the high-voltage electrical system.

This information could help emergency crews anticipate potential hazards and prepare the appropriate rescue equipment before reaching the accident scene.

Beyond structural crash protection, Mercedes-Benz is looking to improve the entire vehicle safety process, from collision prevention to emergency response. However, the availability of Rescue Intelligence in the North American market has yet to be confirmed.