Performance of Simula's ITS Confirmed in Actual Collisions
5 January 2001
Performance of Simula's ITS Confirmed in Actual Collisions
PHOENIX--Jan. 5, 2001--Simula Inc. (AMEX:SMU) today pointed to a recent study of automobile collisions that clearly establishes the efficacy of its Inflatable Tubular Structure, or "ITS(R)," a patented side-impact head and neck protection system.To date, Simula has contracted with five domestic and foreign automobile and truck OEMs to incorporate ITS technology in a total of 19 vehicle platforms.
The study, undertaken by BMW Accident Analysis and published in the 44th Annual Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM), analyzed 73 real-world side impact collisions.
It found "a significant reduction of injuries in real-world collisions" in cases involving BMW vehicles equipped with a thorax airbag (TA) and a head protection system (HPS) incorporating Simula's ITS. The bulk of the reduction in injuries was credited to the ITS, which provides protection in severe collisions and rollovers regardless of whether the window remains intact.
Rather than suffering lethal or debilitating injuries to the head, neck and upper torso, individuals in the BMWs typically incurred only minor lacerations and occasionally contusions, none of which were life-threatening.
"This study -- to our knowledge, the first of its kind -- points to the fact that simulated accidents, though certainly of value, can only approximate the myriad factors that are brought to bear in an actual collision," said Brad Forst, president and CEO of Simula Inc.
"In establishing the performance of Simula's patented head protection system in real-world applications, it puts the ITS, we believe, at a significant competitive advantage compared to other technologies whose true performance has yet to be proven outside industry test facilities. We believe that this competitive advantage will lead to our gaining an even larger share of a growing market."
Side collisions are particularly lethal: although they account for only a fifth of all accidents, they are often followed by rollovers and account for more than a third of all fatalities in cases where no side protection is available. In approximately 20% of rollovers where no head protection system is present, a fatality occurs due to partial or complete ejection from the vehicle.
Simula is a diversified technology company that designs and manufactures occupant safety systems and devices engineered to safeguard human life in a wide range of air, ground and sea transportation vehicles. The company operates in two principal markets that are aligned with its core technologies: aerospace and defense systems, and automotive safety systems.
The company's core products and technologies include inflatable restraints, energy absorbing seating systems, advanced polymer materials, transparent and opaque armor products, personnel protective equipment and parachutes, and crash sensors. Additional information can be found at www.simula.com.
Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the company's actual experience to differ materially from that which is anticipated. These forward-looking statements include statements about the competitive advantage and increase in market share expected to accrue from the BMW study. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Additional risks include those described herein and in the company's registration statements and periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.