Prescient Message for the 'Holy-Days'

Christmas is upon us, and all faiths in the Western world welcome an all too short reprieve from the utter madness of modern life

For the vast majority, everyday society has become the antithesis of the Xmas message, many too busy or absorbed to dissect the social machinations of the so called civilised world; both people and media generated, and often intermingled that keeps many within a state of worry and concern.

“Kick a dog, and it bites another dog” is the old, nasty but true adage. One that re-directs blame away from the source of true responsibility, to ferment blame, distrust and hatred within society for the social disinfrachisement experienced by differing groups.

[NB unfortunately, and all too ironically the only thing that aligns cross-group ethnic interests is money, whether legally or illegally obtained; the two sometimes merged and blurred].

That broad social anguish has transmuted into the rise of Popularism and Nationalism, that seeks to blame 'The Other' (ie the immigrant), when infact the woes of a nation should be laid squarely at the feet of past and present governments; not at those who sought better lives, often go without and fulfil jobs in which they work twice as hard.

It has always been incompetent economic planning – resulting in 'boom and bust' and 'great recessions' – together with a lack of old 'pull-together' values and consequential raised consciosness, that is at the root of fermented hatred toward 'The Other'.

[NB The only righteous exception that justifies dislike, when one ethnic group undertakes an unprompted social-war against a single individual or small group; typically for economic reasons so as to displace for their own ends. Such antagonists tend to think themselves clever via their methods, when in fact transparent and cumbersome; the ways of  what we today label as 'problem children'...little alters for the perceptions of such low IQ people, even decades after leaving school; which is sad for society at large].

Instead of working together, for the greater good, different interests are set against eachother; right versus left, indigenous versus immigrants, the two sexes, different generations; each side rationalises reasons to blame.

The result; fragmented fearful peoples awaiting new hope.

Internal discomfort, leads not toward enlightenment education, objective reasoning, honest debate and fairness, but instead eventually a 'zero-sum' game across society, where the naïve “suckers” who play by the rules of decency are 'led down garden paths' by a host of opportunitsts; from false prophets spouting 'Isms' to confidence tricksters saying they can turn a pot of pennies into a pot of gold.

[NB The collective Christmas Club fund the archetypal con-trick at this time of year, and seen virtually each decade. The typically poorer members of society put money aside throughout the year, only to see their collected and so sizeable Christmas present monies disappear along with those they thought they could depend upon. The disgusting aspect being that their 'friend' who convinced them to do so, remains with them after the scam so as to appear innocent, but all too often in league with the perpetrators].

We now live in a society where it is openly stated that inter-personal relations more than ever consist of “game”. (A deplorable euphemism for socially sanctioned manipulation to obtain an end). Whether that be 'playing' the shop-assistant for a refund on a once-worn party dress, or the abject untruths imparted upon prospective romantic partner, picked not because of who they are, but what they have or socially represent. Or far darker group aligned actions even within a family to marginalise and financially disinfranchise a person under a veneer of supposed 'Love' (Actually).

Christmas should be a time to escape the social lunacy, not become ever more embroiled in it; or even worse actually perpetuate it.

Whether religious, a partial believer or wholly agnostic, it should be a time for personal reflection, of what to do to become a better person - whether Christian / Muslim / Hindu etc. Not simply a time to act out the consumerist fantasy realm of the perfectly dressed, decorated and theatrical 'bauble-laiden' Christmas.

It all costs, often far more than many people can in realistically afford. And often people will 'rationalise' that if governments and companies can operate of vast piles of credit, why shouldn't their teenager get the latest e-gadget or a designer item thanks to the 'maxing-out' their credit card? And hey, the online discount e-code voucher means they are saving money doesn't it?!

Why bother to help secure a child's future-life with a savings plan and lesser presents, when 'the in thing' can be bought now for immediate gratification, and the grand-parents are good for a large sum when they depart. That's the modern mentality of even many middle-aged; who have never held themselves to true self-responsibility.

Capitalism is still part-broken in the West – concerning so in Europe, tracts of the UK and even in the USA with the large 'sub-prime' loan book on Autos.

And the real concern is what next to actually generate value and wealth for the many?

The Populism and Nationalism we see is merely a reaction, not a solution. Real solutions are needed far beyond the emotional rhetoric of 'string-up the globalist bankers' and 'close the borders', and a belief in one political camp or the other.

Proper, sound and meaningful socio-economic plans are needed to be seen and activated to rebalance an innately discredited modern model of Western Capitalism; that has failed its peoples. Liberal Capitalism moved Eastward 3 decades ago and was seen to be profoundly transformative for EM peoples, simply because it re-ran the 20^th century Western model anew elsewhere.

But for many, it appears to have “run-out of steam” in the West, and the profits and dividends are not being fairly, let alone evenly, spread.

Capitalism (and its personal gains amongst the then true 'liberal elite') once funded the Applied sciences, conceptualised, engineered and built machinary, erected factories for such machinary, constructed hundreds of miles of canals and railways, provided new much improved housing and hospitals. Elements that transformed Western society; for the good of all.

Today the worst of capitalism see billions plowed into a myriad start-up ventures, in the hope that one in one-hundred make it big (and so billions lost). Or channelled to cult-like leaders with 'disruptive dreams' who promote themselves as nigh on the next Massiah. Or directed toward the transformation of sectors and conglomerates through divestment and spin-offs, some worthy and value-adding, some simply 'blue-book' fee-taking schemes for savvy bankers who know how to cajole naïve board members seeking the ideal of 'unlocking value'.

Never as now, has capitalism needed better direction, and truly strong socio-economic PESTEL pivot-points upon which to leverage itself.

The 'Internet of Things' may appear to be a transformative pillar – making the everyday e-enabled – but far more must be done in re-designing the fundamental structures of our everyday.

[NB readers may remember my previously described and illustrated example per society's 'mobile infrastructure', with a radical yet rationally evolved transformation of Emergency Service Vans (Police, Ambulance, Fire, Specialist). Wherein designed-in high-value functionality is carried over in the Modular 'Pod' format (that becomes the central idiom) not the chassis architecture and propulsion units. It was a call for 'future-proofed' functional flexibility that generates new industry sub-sectors.].

At the social level, whether or not 'Brexit' (and maybe even 'Frexit') succeeds, Western countries will need to look beyond the unfortunate emergence of self-centric Tribalism.

(NB In this regard the French, with the unity of the peaceful (ie not Parisienne) Rural 'Gilets Jaunes' appear to see the bigger picture of social cohesion; something that many in Britain appear to reject).

Brexit means looking beyond Europe and toward the Rest of the World; from Africa to Indonesia. And whilst large pockets of that new opportunity are obviously Christian – USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Russia and variously in Africa; but much of it wholly unChristian and non-white: 'Yellow, Brown and Black' (in order of regional potential').

This the true irony of an inward looking Britain and its concern for regained independenace via New Nationalism.

Thus Britain must simultaneously operate as Britons: English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and also as true Internationalists.

The outcome possibly an even greater schism in the country, where the locals as small private business concerns operate grown and larger local economies within their counties and so obviously trade within the Realm.

But there must also be the Internationalists; and they will inevitably be drawn from cultures that reflect those of the Other countries with which to trade: the BRICs, MINTs and CIVETS.

Given the economic decimation of much of the country, from rural to even inner cities, “Britain for the British” is an understandable reaction.

But this Christmas, remember that the Cross of St George, within the Union Flag and Union Jack, derives from a character whose own roots stretch deep into the 'Middle-Orient'; a Saint for both Christians and Muslim. Infact, likely adopted by Christians from Muslims during The Crusades, so as to convert those within the sphere of influence of Christian coastal fortresses.

As the human origin and manifestation of the George Cross, Saint George has become an icon amongst those of the far right; who for many emerged as the voice of the over-looked and unheard – for very good reason - and inevitably reside within the 'dog bites dog' atmosphere that stems from long drawn-out hard times, blame upon the Other, and the hope for better times.

Those better times will only come from far better directed Capitalism, and will only come from maximisation of meaninful industry, services and trade both across County borders inside the UK and across Country borders far beyond.

Economic growth and social improvement depends upon not just leaders but the common-folk too. All powerful leaders throughout history, no matter how latterly depicted, knew this to be true.

It is infact incumbant upon the common man and woman to be as equally responsible for their own conduct and contributions, as that of their leaders....to invest in themselves for their own futures: spiritually, educationally and financially.

The game of 'noughts and crosses' may well result in a 'zero-sum' outcome; but the national and global game of Crosses, Crescents and many other Signifiers besides depends upon fairness, honesty and decency; and not under-handed, self-serving tribalism, hypocracy and deceit.

The West is in a prime position to once again conceptually change the face of human existence through new imagined and created futures.

But it will take far better and visionary Business Management at the sector and corporate level, and far better Portfolio Management and business interaction at the Institutional level to do so.

“Merry Christmas” to one and all..... from the Battersby's of North Yorkshire to the Watanabe's of Northern Yamanashi.

And remember, whether atheist or faithful-follower or anything between.... never make money your religion....since you will not own it.... but it will own you.

The fixation about money is the true lunacy of the modern age.

Macro-Level Trends – Reducing Automotive 'Socialised Costs' – Breaking-Down the Interdisciplinary (Crash) Barriers at MIRA, AAAM and Beyond

The last heavily moralistic web-log message of war remembrance deliberately utilised the initials of AAAM (An Alternative Armistice Message). Since mentioned here, done so not by chance, given the initials of an organisation called AAAM : the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine.

The fatally injured and life-long injured of war 'stand' (yet often sit) as both social reminders of events, yet also as modern-day social heroes; precisely because of the socialised 'fight the good fight' origins of their carried injuries.

Yet those killed or seriously injured as the result of a road accident are not similarly regarded by society; they all too often appear in the public consciousness as merely 'statistics' or as 'unfortunates'.

Perhaps the only exemption being a psuedo-hero status of the motorcycle rider, whether or not reflective of their own circumstances and reality, regarded as daring rebels of the road and so with some caché given the overtones of the Isle of Man TT.

(This year the name Dan Kneen added to the list of 260 lost road warriors since 1907)

Whether from war or road accident, those devastatingly injured require re-rehabilitation, itself different degrees of both physical and mental. The most robust individuals appear to 'come through'; though always mentally altered to some extent; even if a constant brave face endures.

Physical injuries sustained both then and now, range across a wide spectrum: from loss of limbs to facial reconstruction, organ transplants, bone reconstruction with mechanical fixings, to tissue and skin grafting.

Whilst the mental ranges from truly life altering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and subsequent mental collapse, to in mid-stages the desire for revenge upon the enemy or the world at large for what has been endured. This stemming from the desire to emotionally transfer the depth of personal suffering to others, to gain an almost impossible shared experience and understanding that results from such deep suffering.

Within the military, even with complex training regimes, once separated from the military environment, the typical soldier cannot easily come to terms with the impacted reality of heavy warfare and its effect upon (typically) himself. For all the support and mutual bonding of fellow soldiers life is irrevocably different; especially when returned to 'Civvy Street'.

Whilst in civilian society at itself, there may be an equal (or infact even greater) argument to state that victims of severe road traffic accidents – who themselves are physically and mentally changed as a result – have a greater nightmare to live through. As a notionally normal, typically comfortable life – expanded by the freedom provided by vehicles - alters into what at worst feels to be utter physical dependency on others.

For all its profound improvements to life throughout the 20^th century, the car in the 21^st century has become increasingly demonised in society; primarily because of emissions pollution and grid-lock and obviously as carriers of death and destruction when portrayed in the worst light.

Thanks to across the board improvements in road-planning, driver training, vehicle design and road-traffic accident medical response and hospital capabilities, the experience of Developed Nations has been the ability to off-set the explosion of 20^th century vehicle use with a general trending decrease in the numbers of killed and seriously injured.

The accompanying graph is extracted straight from Wikipedia and illustrates the UK trend-line of those killed between 1926 and 2016.

By 1926 Britain had become a much mechanised society, the internal combustion engine changing the face of not just urban and rural roads but the broader countryside. Though by then dominant, ICE powered vehicles, from motorcycle to the small 3-wheeler Runabout to the AEC truck or bus, were simply another layer of road transport complexity; ontop of well established steam-driven giants, electric trams, the remnants of the horse-drawn and of course the plethora of bicycles. By the 1920s shared roadways were essentially semi-controlled chaos and thus unsurprisingly the statistics of 4,886 deaths conveys such.

That figure rose dramatically over the next 15 years, largely as the result of the rise of vehicle ownership. All too ironically, though many private cars had to be de-commissioned through the War, the death toll peaked in in 1941 at 9,169, because of pedestrians', cyclists' and drivers' inability to see each other consequential from the 'black-out' requirements specified upon motor vehicles; so as not to be seen by enemy bombers in the skies.

[NB In Europe, the use of the wartime 'letter-box' lamp-covers led to the vehicle manufacturers' adoption of low intensity “side-lights” after the war, which became standard use for many right up until the late 1970s; and avoiding the irritating glare (and light pollution) that has become so common today]

Death figures plunged between 1941 and 1950 to 5,000. People had became both used to heavier traffic conditions and had become more road aware. Whilst the re-popularisation of the private car on still antiquated road networks, led to road-network over-load, and the effective slowing-down of average speeds.

That trend would unfortunately reverse between 1950 and 1966 as car ownership expanded seemingly almost exponentially in the boom years and the young took to the road on 2, 3 and 4 motorised wheels. A mix of new roads (from dual carriage ways to By-Passes), increased vehicle speed capabilities, the glamorisation of speed (via personalities from Donald Campbell's 'Bluebird' to Marlon Brando's Triumph Thunderbird to Stirling Moss's Mercedes SLR to Audrey Hepburn's 'Pagoda' SL in 'Two for the Road' ) relayed an almost socialised need for a generation of young men, and some women, to prove themselves aswell as the inevitable rise of less obviously blame-worthy accidents. So for all the careful safety orientated new road-planning, a mix of testosterone on public road 'race-tracks', the inevitability of the much increased national 'car parc', and cars designed for production volumes and performance at a price – and not safety - meant a steep climb in death over those 2 decades.

However, that trend-line declined again – consistently so - between 1966 and 1998. It was obvious that even with still expanding car ownership and usage, the enormous focus upon safety - from many quarters - was having a very positive effect upon statistical improvement. From the professionalisation of driver-training, to the adoption of 'cats eyes' and 'deformable barriers', the increased demands of MOTs, advancement of vehicle body crumple-zones, the legal necessity of seat belt use , introduction of the breathalyser and that of speed-cameras, and ever more passive and reactive vehicle technologies: from anti-roll bars (in suspension geometry) to the gradual adoption of anti-skid ABS (in brake callipers) to interior fitment 'air-bags'.

It all meant the devils of injury and death were being better contained by society. By 1998, about 3,400 people had been killed that year.

The trend flat-lined between 1998 – 2004, as the result of a balance of increased miles driven in an economic boom period of high vehicle sales, with the potential greater number crashes off-set by the broadened application of better technologies in newer vehicles.

2004 – 2010 saw another marked decrease in deaths, from 3,400 to 2,000. This partially the result of continued new road-planning regimes enabled by bloated local government debt (such as policy-slowed urban rat-runs for children). And the more rapid update (ie newness) of the UK 'car parc' given the widespread application of all-inclusive 3 year lease-contracts on new cars; which itself provided for an increase in the pace of installed safety technologies as standard expectations in even small cars. This process itself sped-up thanks to the recognition and popularity of the Euro NCAP vehicle rating system; which became central to manufacturers' marketing.

And 2010 – 2016 saw another flat-line, this flattered by the result of both fewer miles driven (over the long recession period) and the real-world affect of high-content, standard-fit, safety tech across virtually the whole of the UK's modern vehicles.

That then is broadly the UK's story, which - with specific locational exceptions – is also largely applicable to Europe and the USA. In effect the Developed Countries' story.

But what of the EM regions?

Thankfully because of greater global economic and so consumer alignment – 'the global convergence' – today both AM and EM regions new cars come far better equipped (though to varying degrees with primary (ie accident avoidance) and secondary (accident reactive) safety systems.

But inevitably even new cars have different specifications dependant upon specific in-market characteristics that encompasses much : from price/cost to culture to regulatory demands; so as to provide for affordability, the manufacturer's profit margin and thus toward an expanding vehicle market to aid travel, communication, infrastructure investment and so private and public generated national economic expansion.

Yet many lower order EM countries in Asia, the CIS states, Africa and South America, because of less stable economies will often have a large 'grey-market' import basis in their good years. Which inevitably deploys a span of more aged vehicles of varying condition that range from the near new and well-maintained, to generally run-down to virtual death traps.

The best governments instil the lessons learned from the West regards rationalised and safety enhanced road planning, though usually in a very fundamental, basic manner per traffic management and flow. Yet still natives will philosophically and physically by-pass what they see as their contained new freedom on 2, 3, 4 or more wheels.

To any rational and globally aware person the road transport sights of much of the 2^nd and 3^rd world is both highly theatrical, absorbing and yet also deeply concerning.

Hence whilst the BRICs and CIVETS countries have been seen to slowly improve road infrastructure planning and creation to cope with the increase in vehicle numbers, as seen from the Youtube uploads of in-car cameras, there is still a massive disparity in road-use habits and culture across drivers, riders and pedestrians between EM and DM countries.

As the vehicles themselves become ever more 'safe', the very mentality of road users must likewise be improved dramatically – done so via public information films and the law - to avoid the high number of deaths caused by testosterone-fuelled and ego-fuelled drivers of all ages given the EM's greater proclivity of social stratification (ie 'status'), itself closely related to competitive ego (in men and women).

Developed countries and their governments – even today with stagnant and declining 'car parcs' of their own - will continue to seek to ensure a decline in the social and personal impact of road traffic accidents; especially so with the social push toward cycling and walking, so exposing more people to possibilities of road traffic accidents.

[NB given a strong focus on the need to better categorise road accident statistics, and the emergence of a large fraudulent road accident claim culture amongst petty criminals, the old term RTA has been expanded to include RTI: road traffic incident].

And what of the future?

For the past decade the concept of totally automated vehicle mobility has been a central theme of technology and broad media; deliberately broadcast so as to push the advancement of such technologies and their social acceptance.

As many have come to know, the accepted SAE definitions of automated driving spans across 5 levels : from basic assistance (such as predictive braking) at Level One, through to Level Five of complete automation (ie collection and delivery of the passenger without any driver interaction of vehicle propulsion and steering systems). Levels 3 and 4 are rightly contentious (requiring the irrational paradox of driver awareness whilst relaxing or otherwise engaged, without vehicle control, so as to intercede per a possible accident – a ridiculous 'no-man's land' and 'danger-space' in the real world).

At a truly achievable Level 5, the concept eventually leads to the notional concept of the physically and mentally all encompassing 'Cocoon'. Wherein a totally safety orientated vehicle and safety shell and interior provides for n insular environment in which to relax, sleep, entertain or work. It means the automated travelling adult becomes euphemistically 'cotton-wool wrapped' to become absorbed in their own mental-space, as s/he is transported

But any such possible outcome, beyond testing 'pilot' sites, is still many years away given the technology, infrastructure, policy and social acceptance complications of such a dreamt utopian 'sci-fi' vision

In the meantime, governments around the world must seek to protect their citizens from their own and others' road-going stupidity and carelessness.

And vitally, seek to improve the lives of those physically and mentally affected by the life-changing consequences of road traffic accidents.

One major platform within the socio-economic promotion of the recent past has been renewed fascination and resurgence of the 'Life Sciences'; now recognised as a high potential growth arena, devolved from Sports Sciences and increasingly directed toward e-tech consumer culture.

The rapid rise from the analogue ratchet-counted 'step-o-metre' to the iPhone enabled bio-diagnostic App has been astounding. The market for shaping consumer consciousness and providing solutions to that new awareness has grown enormously; as seen by the myriad of Start-Up, Venture Capital and Large Cap Company investments in this field.

There are profits to be made that satiates the health concerns of an increasingly phsyio-educated and so health conscious public – even if the real level of true medical education as opposed to 'medicised marketing' be relatively scant.

This emergent 'medi-tech' backdrop has its positive ripples spanning beyond the health anxieties of the average person.

It puts renewed focus upon the broader societal concerns regards public health.

That concern though has wavered over the decades and centuries. 

Migrating from the auditorium dissection tables of the 18^th century, and the dis-proving of 'miasma theory' regards spread infection, to in the late 19^th century the likes of Florence Nightingale, John Snow and Charles Booth and their vital use of statistics as geographically wide apart as both the theatre of war in The Crimea and London's Theatre-land and surrounding districts so as to track and locate the origins of disease, its causes, and the environmental specifics.

In the 19^th century, it moved into the formalised laboratory using the advancement of biology and chemistry with researchers such as Pasteur, Fleming, and the Curies. Research fields expanded to span a myriad of disciplines from Biochemistry to Zoology after recognition of Darwin's truisms about shared origins of species (as well known by those in distant antiquity given the similarity of skeletal and organ structures of mammals). But now taken further to encompass the biological breakdowns of divergent applications. Such as that of Keratin, spanning from the fragility of human finger-nails to toughness of rhino horns, to the massive spectrum of various animals' electrically governed bio-chemical nervous system, from human heart beats to the high voltage electric eel.

In the 20^th century the names of famous transplant surgeons such as Barnard, or the ground-breaking research of Crick, Watson and Wilkins per the unravelling of DNA, became public debate.

And in the 21^st century, the renewed focus on external and internal applications of bio-mechanics, ranging from improved vascular blood-flow valves to limb replacement prosthetics; together with a broadened approach to materials sciences and unrejected metals, plastics and composites.

That has opened up a new world of 'grown bio-materials' which can be sourced from Stem cells and formed around specific and cell-recognisable 'scaffolds' into known and yet discovered body replacement parts, ranging from ball-and -socket joints to possibly wholly grown organs.

Bio-engineering reflecting the advancements made in molecular engineering by the likes of Rolls-Royce Aero and its singular crystalline fan blade. If aeronautical parts can be grown in a lab, on this basis, why might not 'scaffold theory' work for at least some physiological replacement items? Though perhaps not all.

However, beyond the 'amazing science' stories, less publicised are the efforts of researchers in the specific research field of vehicle accident analysis.

Whilst after WW2, Britain and America had been testing the human limits regards aeronautical and space travel (specifically the effect of high 'G' applications) with test pioneers such as Beeding and Stapp, and the US Auto industry had long undertaken roll-over and cliff-drop tests to check body strength, in the USA, the realm of disciplined automotive crash research did not start until the mid 1950s using cadavers, animals and some live volunteers. Those methods soon replaced by anthropometrically devised 'crash-test dummies'.

These spanning a wide evolution from the initial 'Sierra Sam' to the latest Hybrid III and THOR model variations for different age ranges.

In Britain, such human-centric research work did not commence until 1968.

That year the research work of MIRA (the Motor Industry Research Association) was expanded under government edict to include vehicle crash outcomes on not only the vehicle structure, but also for the “human component” (ie the effect on adults, later children and eventually including babies).

The initial efforts regards 'head-on' crash tests were later followed by 'rear impact', 'partial off-set' test and later side-impact tests; akin to the USA.

Gradually, the learning from such testing started to become ever better structured, designed and complex. Feedback to the packaging engineers, structural engineers, interior engineers, trim and hardware engineers and electrical engineers providing a positive feedback loop to vehicle manufacturers for each successive new generation platform and model type.

But what of humans themselves?

Quite obviously, the 'live guinea-pig' efforts of Beeding and Stapp could not be morally replicated even by a willing participant. Thus, as seen, the technical sophistication of Crash-Test Dummies gradually increased to better reflect the 50th (and other) percentiles groups of Euro-centric humans at different age ranges (per height, body-type and mass). Leading to the Hybrid III 'model family'.

[NB since 2015 the auto-centric Hybrid III has itself influenced the evolution of 'WIAMan' (the Warrior Injury Assessment Mannequin), as created by the US Army, to replicate direct blast effects upon various vehicle 'hull' designs (flat-bottomed and sacrificial to V-hull)

Within the automotive realm, these ATD's (anthropometric test devices) now sit under global regulations for specification, but their evolutional path was arguably slow, given the schism between complexity and costs of testing for participant manufacturers, and the fact that for years they sought the issue of vehicle crash was best avoided so as not to spoil the automotive fantasy dream-scape that had been moulded into the minds of buyers through TV and showrooms.

Hence it was not until the mid 1990s – and the fear-effect of SUV roll-over stories and that of the original Smart Car and Mercedes A-Class – did the public become directly concerned and influenced by the issue of safety testing and performance ratings.

But, as seen with THOR's development progress, much depends upon the health of the auto-industry itself to pay for and progress new advances in crash testing itself. With economic recessions comes the typical hiatus in testing development, and also inevitably the closure of the specialist firm manufacturing the 'dummies'. And so today, as the result of this niche sector's previous bankruptcies and acquisitions, Humanetics and DentonATD are the providers of THOR

Given that real-world crash-testing is so expensive (inevitably priced within a new platform programme) and research laboratories wish to expand their own services, both manufacturers and crash-research labs have long explored the usefulness and limitations of Computer Aided Testing.

To this end, Britain's MIRA bought Creative Automotive Design Consultancy in 2003, two years after having been formally structured as a limited company; though actually seeking a non-profit basis so as to recycle fees back into the business over the next decade.

Yet this only one side of the Accident Research story; the precursive element that seeks to avoid and reduce road crash consequences.

There is obviously the counterpoint...

The world of anatomical / phsysiological, that deals with the very humanistic side, and so the medical research realm.

And within this are both a limited number of Medical Research bodies, and dedicated specialist equipment and instruments required within that field.

With this appreciation and vision of how to advance beyond the research and service limitations of 3-D CAD testing, it was the strategic imperative of Japanese firm HORIBA to purchase MIRA three years ago; to coalesce the Test and Modelling regimes with greater directly human-centric medical research, analysis and discipline advancement.

HORIBA designs and manufactures a wide range of research items related to Automotive Research and Development, Process Monitoring, Environmental Monitoring, In-Vitro Medical Diagnostics, Metrology, Semi-Conductor Manufacturing and and various Quality Control instruments.

Obviously it saw MIRA as a high value, very niche, 'bolt-on' asset to expand its spectrum of core business streams. And believes that a highly synergistic in-house economic eco-system can be both strengthened and expanded.

Beyond this, we enter the realm of true Anatomical and Biological Research.

This is the realm of AAAM : the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine.

It was established to act as the research hub for true medical professionals (not the pseudo-kinds abound today in broad society) to gain better insights into the medical perspective of the wide spectrum of vehicle related issues; from cognitive abilities of drivers in various stress inducing situations, to the need for global standards regards recognition and identification of transport related injuries.

That latter topic has been the central focus for a decade, through to the now increasingly recognised AIS (Abbreviated Injury Scale) and ISS (Injury Severity Score).

As its website states...”the AIS provides standardized terminology to describe the injuries and ranks injuries by severity. Current AIS users include: health organisations for clinical trauma management, outcome evaluation....motor vehicle crash investigators, and researchers for epidemiological studies and systems development”.

Epidemiology is the research base that seeks to gain insights into fundamental patterns of public health. It's prime concerns being sound methodology, sound basis of data collection and sound formulation of resulting hypothesis. As such, analysis and conclusions are typically statistically communicated and so the discipline itself represents the latest evolutionary path first trodden by the likes of Florence Nightingale, John Snow and Charles Booth.

Just as a motor vehicle is a multi-systems based machine, so through the eyes of a physician is the human body. From the electro-chemical impulses that govern the nervous system, to the reaction processes within each sphere of the brain, to lung and heart capacities, to bone density, to muscle strength, and so much more.

So although hardly appreciated, human beings in their most basic interpretation are sentient organic machines. And it has been this very perspective of 'bio-system-engineering' that has allowed for the research and advances made by humankind; from Leonardo da Vinci's secretive anatomical dissections frowned upon by the church for its Enlightenment learning, to the latest efforts to match non-rejection materials with bone, tissue and organs.

But this is about as far as the broad systems comparison may go; the philosophical perspective.

Since for all the manufacturers' efforts to imbue more humanistic qualities (such as digital-PA voices, soft-touch buttons and cushioned interiors, the inorganic and computer-enabled vehicle is still the polar opposite of the organic and highly sentient human being.

The old phrase “oil / petrol in the blood” is only metaphoric, even if boy and girl street and track racers believe themselves to be extensions of their machines; or vice versa.

And given this reality, as much research and development work should and must continue in the enormously broad discipline of Transport Crash Research.

From the optimal seat designs and hi-concept escape methods of aeroplanes, to real-world wearable technology solutions for bicycle-riders.

Thus, the very notion of 'Vehicle Medicine' should be accepted and expanded.

So that the Research Institutions, Vehicle Manufacturers and Tier1 systems designers, can alike devise better Primary and Secondary Safety systems. And so likewise, the Medical Fraternity, from Ambulance Squad to Rehabilitation Specialist, can better treat the instances and results of physical and mental trauma...inevitably abound from higher and high-speed accidents; that the human body was hardly evolved to withstand.

All inevitably increasingly monitored by, and reliant upon, the rapidly emergent discipline of meaningful (not techno-marketing) bio-metrics.

Those who have been unfortunate enough to have been involved in heavy transport accidents, whether typically on land (or from the air) are rarely ever the same person again, even if it appears so.

And whilst the personality types of true heroes such as 'air-ace' Douglas Barder or racing driver Billy Monger, might jokingly see the 'upsides' of lost limbs, such as reduced driver weight and reduced potential for injury in any possible future crash; all is just dark-humour to cope from within.

Thankfully for years through disability driver schemes, the standard car has long been lightly to heavily modified to enable disabled drivers to take to the road, and done so without the stigma of the light-blue 3 wheeled 'Disability Carriages', last seen in the early 1980s here in the UK.

And thankfully the very stigma of disability and disabled driving has long-eroded from the public consciousness; the largely broader and more sensitive minds of the public recognising that 'people are just people' in whatever shape or form. Ironically increasingly seeing the application of bio-engineering solutions (eg titanium prosthetics and carbon fibre 'blades') upon the human form as imbuieing that person with super-human 'hybrid' status.

And TV programmes like Channel 4's 'The Last Leg' have done much to create general acceptance and so normalisation of physical disability; from multiple amputees to thalidomide affected adults to palsy sufferers and so much more.

And that is good news.

But road accidents are no laughing matter, for either the individual or society at large.

Servicing the effects of the aftermath (and other general disabilities) has created an economic eco-system of its own; from private rehabilitation centres, to mobility aids, to car and van modification 'coachbuilders'.

It is an ever expanding economic sphere that can and should be spread around the world; especially so to EM countries via governmental inter-trade initiatives.

[NB Let us remember, that it was in-part, Franklin D Roosevelt's humble offer of his wheelchair to King Ibn Saud that allowed the US access to the middle-eastern oil-fields].

But it is highly unlikely that such disability entrepreneurs are 'laughing all the way to the bank'; since many have experienced the heartache personally and so been drawn into the commercialised service of the lesser able.

But as the EM regions and world continues to take to 2, 3, 4 and more wheels in their own search of freedom and status aspiration; so the breadth of Healthcare and the Bio-Sciences connected to the automotive world will multiply.

Hopefully so in a direct proportion of a reduction in worldwide vehicle accident rates and consequentially shattered lives.

Let the dire lived realities of those who are remembered in the previous 'An Alternative Armistice Message' inform and improve the lives of those today who find themselves physically and mentally altered by (on a travel-distance logged basis) the increasingly rare major transport accident.

Since human physiology will hardly evolve at a pace, the 'unnaturally' fast machines that rapidly traverse road, rail, sky and sea, must, as standard practice include in their development, greater crash research analysis, at vehicle and human levels, and critically their intersect. And of course the aftermath effects of crash trauma, treatment and after-care services.

The vital realms sit between (wo)man and machine.....vehicle crash-testing and physiological / psychological human-repair.