Safety features can be present if the manufacturer bothers. The only safety feature that’s not allowed in that class is large amounts of mass.
Airbags and seatbelts don’t add any appreciable mass. A protective cage around the passenger doesn’t add much either. Space (to prevent hitting things with your head in an accident) does introduce a mass penalty. Many microcars lack a safe amount of head space which sure annoys me.
Automatic braking (a lidar and some actuators) would not add much. If a vehicle happens to have 4 independent motors, then traction control is a software problem with zero mass. Individual control of brakes would admittedly add mass - separate brake pumps for each wheel.
The frame of an L7e can be made pretty sturdy. Some folks have been asking me if I’m building a tank, but no, it’s an L7e - instead of armor, it’s covered in greenhouse plastic. :) It’s the beams that count, I don’t care if anyone punches through the gaps. :)
Safety features can be present if the manufacturer bothers. The only safety feature that’s not allowed in that class is large amounts of mass.
Airbags and seatbelts don’t add any appreciable mass. A protective cage around the passenger doesn’t add much either. Space (to prevent hitting things with your head in an accident) does introduce a mass penalty. Many microcars lack a safe amount of head space which sure annoys me.
Automatic braking (a lidar and some actuators) would not add much. If a vehicle happens to have 4 independent motors, then traction control is a software problem with zero mass. Individual control of brakes would admittedly add mass - separate brake pumps for each wheel.
The frame of an L7e can be made pretty sturdy. Some folks have been asking me if I’m building a tank, but no, it’s an L7e - instead of armor, it’s covered in greenhouse plastic. :) It’s the beams that count, I don’t care if anyone punches through the gaps. :)
Tiny picture because I like to keep some privacy.