08/19/2026
💥 Capturing Every Millisecond of a Crash
Last week, Martin and I had the opportunity to film a spectacular crash test at CTS (Crash Test Service) in Germany during the DUMMY CRASHTEST MEASURE USERMEETING 2026.
The test simulated a serious multi-vehicle collision during an overtaking maneuver:
🚐 An oncoming van traveling at 68 km/h crossed into opposing traffic without braking.
🚗 The red passenger vehicle had no time to react.
📱 A third vehicle followed just 15 meters behind, with the distracted driver unable to brake in time.
To capture every critical moment, we used two Photron high-speed imaging systems:
📷 FASTCAM Mini W5
• 5,000 fps at full 2048 × 1152 resolution
• Captured the airbag deployment with exceptional temporal detail.
📷 FASTCAM Mini R5-4K
• 1,000 fps at full 4K (4096 × 2304) resolution
• Recorded both the overall collision and close-up impact sequences with outstanding image quality.
From the initial impact to airbag deployment and vehicle deformation, high-speed imaging allows engineers to analyze events that occur in just milliseconds—providing valuable insights for improving vehicle safety and occupant protection.
A big thank you to CTS Crash Test Service for hosting another outstanding event. We're excited to share some of the footage soon!