Federal-Mogul has developed a product that will help protect occupants of hybrid and electric vehicles in the event of a crash. The new material, called CrushShield, surrounds and protects electrical cables, keeping the electrical system isolated from the rest of the vehicle.
CrushShield is one of the first cable products on the market to meet the requirements of new US Federal vehicle safety regulations. It is already in production for a market-leading hybrid electric vehicle. The regulations require manufacturers of hybrids and EVs to ensure that in the event of an impact, the electrical energy storage, conversion and traction systems do not threaten the safety of the vehicle occupants. Either the systems must be isolated from the vehicle’s chassis or the voltage must be below levels considered safe from electric shock hazards. Similar safety regulations are expected to be introduced in other global markets.
Federal-Mogul’s CrushShield encases the wire harness so that the battery cable remains isolated from the conducting structure of the vehicle. CrushShield incorporates a rugged, multi-layer fabric with a unique substrate design, which together absorbs and disperses energy. Its construction helps manufacturers of existing hybrid and electric vehicle models meet the new regulations without requiring electrical component or wiring redesign.
