Editing Moose test

{{Short description|Evasive maneuver vehicle test}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
[[Image:Moose test.svg|thumb|upright=0.7]]
The '''evasive manoeuvre test''' ({{langx|sv|Undanmanöverprov}}; [[colloquial]]: '''moose test''' or '''elk test'''; [[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''Älgtest'', [[German language|German]]: ''Elchtest'') is performed to determine how well a certain [[vehicle]] evades a suddenly appearing obstacle. This test has been standardized in ISO 3888-2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vehico.com/index.php/en/applications/iso-lane-change-test|title = VEHICO Fahrroboter - Index}}</ref>

Forms of the test have been performed in Sweden since the 1970s.<ref name=jeep/> The colloquial and internationally better-known name for the test was coined in 1997 by the German newspaper ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' after the Swedish motor magazine  ''[[Teknikens Värld]]'' together with the TV-show ''[[Trafikmagasinet]]'' [[Vehicle rollover|flipped]] a First generation [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class#First generation (W168; 1997)|Mercedes-Benz A-Class]] in a test ostensibly made to measure the car's ability to avoid hitting a [[moose]].

In reality, the test is constructed to simulate, for example, a reversing car or a child rushing out onto the road.<ref>{{cite news |title=Så bra är de nya sommardäcken |first=Sven-Erik |last=Andersson |url=http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/bil/9804/14/tires1.html |newspaper=[[Aftonbladet]] |date=1998-04-14 |accessdate=2012-07-12 |language=sv |quote=''Aldrig tidigare har däck testats i "älgtest" – det test som fick Mercedes A-klass på fall. 40 meters körning mellan koner, och en tvär undanmanöver, som simulerar att till exempel ett barn (inte en älg) plötsligt kommer utspringande framför bilen.''" / "Never before have tyres been tested in "the moose test" - the test that brought down the Mercedes A-class. 40 meters of driving through cones, and a sharp evasive manoeuvre, that for example simulates a child (not a moose) suddenly rushing in front of the car. |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122034046/http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/bil/9804/14/tires1.html |archivedate=2009-11-22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212083711/https://www.aftonbladet.se/bil/biltester/article245204.ab |url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/bil/biltester/article245204.ab |newspaper=[[Aftonbladet]] |title=Vältklassen |first=Robert |last=Collin |authorlink=Robert Collin (Swedish journalist) |date=2004-11-15 |accessdate=2012-07-12 |archive-date=12 December 2013|language=sv}}</ref> This is because it is more likely that the moose will continue across the road than remain in place or turn back, making it more advisable to brake hard and try to slip behind the animal than to swerve in front of it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://korkortonline.se/teori/olyckor/ |title=Trafikolyckor & olycksstatistik |website=Körkortonline.se |language=sv |accessdate=13 July 2013 |quote=''När en älg väl har börjat gå över vägen är sannolikheten störst att den fortsätter över vägen. Därför är det bäst att styra in bakom älgen, om du måste välja vilket håll du ska väja åt.''" / "When a moose has begun to cross the road, it is likely that it will continue across. Therefore it is best to steer behind the moose, if you have to choose what way to swerve.}}</ref>

==Test specifications==
The test is performed on a dry road surface. [[Traffic cone]]s are set up in an S shape <!-- OK, look at the diagram and tell me that is an S shape --> to simulate the obstacle, [[road]], and road edges. The car to be tested has one [[seat belt|belted]] person in each available seat and weights in the boot to achieve maximum load. In order to qualify as a "pass" the vehicle must successfully navigate the course at {{cvt|72|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=rav4/>

After coming onto the track, the driver quickly swerves into the oncoming lane to avoid the object and then immediately swerves back to avoid potential oncoming traffic. The test is repeated at an increased [[speed]]s until the car skids, knocks down cones, or spins around.

==1997 Mercedes A-Class test==
On 21 October 1997 the journalist Robert Collin from ''[[Teknikens Värld]]'' overturned the new (now First generation) [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class]] in the moose test at {{cvt|60|km/h}}, while a [[Trabant 601|Trabant]]—a much older, and widely mocked car from the former [[East Germany]]—managed it successfully.<ref>{{cite web|title=Petite feat - drive.com.au|url=http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=9679&vf=1|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=[[Drive.com.au]]|accessdate=10 January 2012|author=The Sydney Morning Herald|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050719193241/http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/article.aspx?id=9679&vf=1|archivedate=19 July 2005|date=6 May 2005}}</ref>

During an interview in ''Süddeutsche Zeitung'', Collin tried to explain this test by the example of an evasive manoeuvre for a moose on the road. It was soon called ''Elchtest'' (moose test).<ref>{{cite journal |title=Der Elchtester |journal=[[Die Zeit]] |accessdate=14 November 2019 |url=http://images.zeit.de/text/1998/02/Der_Elchtesterarchiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723134918/http://www.zeit.de/1998/02/Der_Elchtester/seite-3 |language=de}} (Collin is wrongly spelled as Collins)</ref>

Mercedes initially denied the problem, but then took the step of recalling all units sold to date (2,600), rebuilding 17,000 cars<ref>{{cite web|url=https://europe.autonews.com/article/20171102/ANE/171109997/mercedes-a-class-moose-test-crisis-recalled|title=Mercedes A class moose-test crisis recalled|date=2 November 2017|author=Michael Specht|publisher=Crain Communications, Inc.|accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref> and suspending sales for three months until the problem was solved by adding [[electronic stability control]] and modifying the suspension.<ref>{{cite web|last=Andrews|first=Edmund|title=Mercedes-Benz Tries to Put a Persistent Moose Problem to Rest|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/11/business/mercedes-benz-tries-to-put-a-persistent-moose-problem-to-rest.html|work=New York Times|accessdate=2 April 2013|date=11 December 1997}}</ref> The company spent DM 2.5 billion in developing the car, with a further DM 300 million to fix it.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mercedes bends|url=https://www.economist.com/node/352668|newspaper=The Economist|accessdate=2 April 2013|date=13 November 1997}}</ref>

==Ongoing testing==
''Teknikens Värld'' tests "hundreds of cars every year".<ref name=jeep>{{cite journal | url = http://www.teknikensvarld.se/jeepmoosetest-part2/ | title = How Jeep Grand Cherokee failed the evasive manoeuvre test | date = 10 July 2012 | first = Mattias | last = Rabe | journal = Teknikens Värld | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131213144236/http://www.teknikensvarld.se/jeepmoosetest-part2/ | archivedate = 13 December 2013 }}</ref> with the moose test. It publishes test results since 1983 on their website.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Teknikens Värld – Bilnyheter, test av bilar och mycket mer |url=https://teknikensvarld.expressen.se/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Teknikens Värld |language=sv}}</ref> The car with the slowest speed to successfully complete the manoeuvre is the [[Reliant Rialto]] at {{cvt|42.5|km/h}}.

Some current vehicles, such as the 2021–present [[Mitsubishi_Outlander#Outlander_PHEV|Mitsubishi Outlander]] and [[Volvo_XC40#XC40_Recharge|Volvo XC40 Recharge T4]], still fail this test, although after the latest software revision the RAV4 now passes the test.<ref name=rav4>{{Cite web |title=Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid performs dangerously in the moose test |url=https://teknikensvarld.expressen.se/bil/toyota/rav4/toyota-rav4-plug-in-hybrid-performs-dangerously-in-the-moose-test/ |access-date=2022-07-24 |website=Teknikens Värld |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Alaniz |first1=Anthony |title=Toyota RAV4 Passes Moose Test After Software Update |url=https://www.motor1.com/news/395903/toyota-rav4-passes-moose-test/ |website=Motor1 |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>

==Current champion==
{{as of|February 2025}} the current record holder is the [[Porsche 718 Cayman]] GT4 RS Manthey at {{cvt|86|kph|1}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rabe |first=Mattias |title=Resultat i Teknikens Världs älgtest |url=https://teknikensvarld.expressen.se/algtest/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Teknikens Värld |language=sv}}</ref>  The previous record holder was the [[Citroën Xantia]] 3.0i V6 Activa at {{cvt|85|kph|1}}, holding the record for 26 years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moose tests, ranked|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804095914/https://oppositelock.kinja.com/moose-tests-ranked-1681602389 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Teknikens Värld |language=sv}}</ref>

==Actual moose collision testing==
Although the moose test itself is based on the avoidance of hitting an obstruction in the road, testing is also carried out on actual collision with animals in the road.  Both [[Volvo Cars|Volvo]] and [[Saab Automobile|Saab]] have a tradition of taking moose crashes into account when building cars.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a22604428/what-happens-when-you-actually-hit-a-moose-volvo-has-a-moose-strike-test-for-that/ | title = What Happens When You Actually Hit a Moose? Volvo Has a Moose-Strike Test for That | date = 31 July 2018 | publisher = Car & Driver | accessdate = 3 July 2019}}</ref> Saab assisted [[Magnus Gens]] in creating a [[crash test dummy]] moose to simulate moose–vehicle collisions.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hartley |first=Sophie |title=Carmakers give up on software that avoids kangaroos |website=[[Ars Technica]] |date=2 April 2024 |url=https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/04/hazard-identification-software-cant-make-sense-of-kangaroos/ |access-date=4 February 2025}}</ref>

The [[Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute]] has developed a moose [[crash test]] dummy called "Mooses". The dummy (which is made with similar weight, [[centre of gravity]] and dimensions to a live moose) is used to simulate realistic moose collisions.

Australian car manufacturers use crash test kangaroo dummies for similar reasons.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.intown.com.au/locals/geelong/attractions/ford_discovery.htm | title = The Ford Discovery Centre | publisher = Intown Geelong | accessdate = 9 October 2012}}</ref>

In a 2008 episode of ''[[Mythbusters]]'', the [[urban legend]] that [[MythBusters_(2008_season)#Moose_Mayhem|accelerating to hit a moose]] would cause less damage than braking was investigated and busted using a modified version of Gens's model.<ref>{{cite AV media |work=[[MythBusters]] |date=2008 |title=Alaska Special |type=Television show |publisher=[[Discovery Channel]] }}</ref> It was found that regardless of car type and speed, the damage to a vehicle was catastrophic in all cases.

==See also==
* [[Tilt test (vehicle safety test)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.vti.se/EPiBrowser/Publikationer/S342A.pdf Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009094723/http://www.vti.se/EPiBrowser/Publikationer/S342A.pdf |date=9 October 2016 }} - Moose Crash Test Dummy
*[http://www.teknikensvarld.se/algtest/ Moose test - list of the fastest and slowest cars]

{{AutomotiveHandlingNav}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moose Test}}
[[Category:Automotive safety]]
[[Category:Deer and moose in popular culture|Test]]