From GM about “Bernie” testing

May 9th, 2008 · 8 Comments

I woke up to this in my inbox this morning from Saab USA. It’s been a fascinating learning experience but I think they’ll shed no tears if we move on to other topics….

Saab, nor GM have ever conducted crash tests using cadavers. We do not even have the facilities/capability in which to do so.

However, GM and other manufacturers are involved in partnerships in which funds are provided to conduct bio-mechanical research, usually through universities. Research data, often made public at conferences, is used by Saab and GM to advance our efforts in crash-test dummy technology to protect human lives.

So there you go.

——

I was hesitant about the title, but Mel Brooks recently reminded me that you can laugh about anything.

Tags: Saab safety

8 responses so far ↓

1 Talonderiel // May 9, 2008 at 8:22 am

Holy lovely of a PC world we live in, that when something that could be so crucial in saving a life needs to be covered with a catch-all safety phrase.

I thank everyone of those people who have donated themselves. Maybe one day our world will be less PC and more concerned about people’s safety and well-being than they are about offending someone’s thin skin.

/rant.

Good title choice, Swade!
2 Jeff // May 9, 2008 at 9:49 am

Talonderiel - I have no idea what phrase you’re talking about?

I linked to this on Autoblog (linked, not copy/pasted like the other guy that mentioned TS in that thread).

Amazing post title, by the way.
3 Talonderiel // May 9, 2008 at 12:16 pm

I was on my high horse at the time… No particular phrase in itself. Sorry guys.
4 Vector // May 12, 2008 at 2:34 am

Did anyone see Saturday Night Live last night (May 10)?

Their “Weekend Update” segment had a little piece saying that “GM confirmed that they do use cadavers.” First off, I don’t believe it, since the whole basis of their show is based on farce.

But, is it really a bad thing? If it’s true, these people willingly gave their bodies up just for this kind of research. It’s not like they can sell or use any components of a crash-test car.
5 MitchbSC // May 13, 2008 at 1:50 pm

Jay Leno just repeated this dreck in his monologue. There was no element of farce. Lame-o repeated it as fact.
6 Jeff // May 13, 2008 at 3:46 pm

MitchbSC - Sure, Jay Leno shouldn’t have said that, and he’s a one-trick pony as far as the monologues go…but DAMN he has a nice garage.
7 Jeff // May 13, 2008 at 3:50 pm

Now how the hell did that happen?

damn?
8 MitchbSC // May 15, 2008 at 1:45 pm

Lame-o repeats again just now tonight. Used as a build up to the punchline that cadavers would not get into a Kia.