Nissan has revealed details of its stringent testing process to ensure all new crossover models are watertight.
The tests, which take place at the company’s European Technical Centre in Cranfield, UK, involve thousands of liters of water being sprayed at the exterior of the vehicle from every angle. This is followed by a fingertip inspection to ensure the highest quality in waterproof sealing. This takes place several times during the development of all cars and vans.
Around 24,000 liters of water is sprayed onto the car with more than 1,000 liters of this being sprinkled in just 15 minutes (equivalent to a meter of rainfall). Nissan technicians attack the vehicle’s seals with a jet washer, which is specially engineered to operate at extreme pressures of 150 bar.
Carl Sandy, one of the Nissan engineers who helped develop these test standards, said, “Another member of the team will be in the car with a high-definition endoscope to see inside the panels, looking for even the tiniest drop of water that may have made it through.”
During the whole program up to 30,000 liters of water are used, none of which is wasted – water is filtered back into a tank and used on the next car.
June 20, 2016
