Safety systems do their job in new Hyundai

Hyundai's iconic Ioniq 5N, looking pristine when it was first launched, a truly stunning blend of hi-tech and speed, and not a bad looker either

THIS is the sort of story I hate to write, and manufacturers aren't too thrilled to have written, because it usually means things have gone pear-shaped, and often in a big way.

But, I also see it as a (hopefully!) rare opportunity to give a first-hand account of the improved levels of safety in modern cars.

In this case, the vehicle in question is Hyundai's flagship EV, the Ioniq 5N, a truly stunning car, and it lives up to its hard-earned reputation as a fun and exciting vehicle to drive, proving EVs can be every bit as fun as their ICE counterparts.

Sadly, we didn't get to test it fully, after a run-in with some native fauna, in the form of a suicidal kangaroo on the Mount Lindesay Highway, at North Maclean on a recent Friday night, brought our time with the 5N to a premature end.

Before anybody asks, all road rules were being observed, the adaptive cruise control was in use, as were the adaptive high beams of the LED headlights, throwing a bright white pool of light down the road, as I rolled along at the signposted 80km/h.

Unfortunately, my furry nemesis launched itself from the side of the road, out of the pitch black, where even the excellent headlights could not reach, landed in the middle of the road in front of me, and turned straight towards the Hyundai.

Without even a moment to begin braking, there was impact, the car began flashing warning lights and the kangaroo was gone, rebounding off the front corner of the car, disappearing from sight.

And the 'after' shot...shattered grille, wrecked headlights and indicators, and worst of all, damaged cooling system - but the human inside walked away without feeling a thing. Thanks, Hyundai...

With no stopping bay available until I reached a side road about 500m further down the highway, and was able to safely stop and get out of the car to check the extent of the damage.

Even before stopping, I knew the 5N was wounded, with the alerts telling me to check the right hand headlight, the right indicator and the driver assistance systems, but the good news was the motor and battery temperatures weren't climbing, and the car was still steering straight.

Despite this, everything was done at slow speed, until I could comfort myself I wasn't going to come to a grinding halt far from home.

A quick inspection showed the headlight surround was shattered, along with sections of the grille, while the front indicator assembly was no longer functional, having taken the brunt of the impact.

The good news was the headlights still worked, and even the sensors for the adaptive operation, which dim the light beams selectively as you enter brightly lit areas or there is oncoming traffic, while still throwing light towards the road shoulder.

A double check of the temperature readings, they are displayed on the left side of the instrument cluster, one each for the front and rear drive motors and another for the battery pack, showed everything was, in proper NASA parlance, 'nominal', giving me the confidence to keep driving.

More importantly, from my very selfish perspective of self-interest, other than the shock of seeing a kangaroo appear and charge headlong into the innocent 5N, I was okay, with nothing worse than an elevated pulse rate.

That is the point, despite hitting the equivalent of a large rock or small boulder, depending on your sense of scale, at undiminished speed, not only was the car hanging together, but I was unscathed.

Such is the quality of new vehicle design and construction, there was not even a crease in the bonnet, although there was some serious impact scarring on the bumper line, with some bits gone forever, scattered to the four winds.

And aside from a feeling of being shocked, I suffered no ill-effects from the impacts, with none of the energy reaching the cabin, not even triggering the seatbelt pretensioner.

This is the culmination of years, if not decades, of work by designers and engineers, to make cars that not only protect occupants from the elements, but also from the very real dangers of transmitted shock energy.

After reaching my destination, a rock and roll dance for those who are wondering, I parked up, had another look under the car for any tell-tale signs of pink fluid running out of the cooling system, and went inside to check out the band.

Yeah, they were ok, and it was a good crowd, but no, I didn't really feel like dancing, having already had a waltz with Skippy on the way there, and chose to head home, about a 30 minute drive away.

Other than me scanning the instruments every minute or so, in case of rising temperatures signalling more significant damage, the trip home was uneventful, the steering remained solid, there were no clunks or shudders from under the car.

The following morning, when I was about to drive out and go visit my favourite local coffee shop - Gday to Abs and everyone at Coffee on Wembley! - unfortunately there was an extra warning alert on the dash, telling me to check the battery coolant levels, along with the existing warning about damage to the lights and driver assistance systems.

Popping the bonnet, it was clear the pink water was all gone, but there were no stains on the concrete, so it may have been a slow dribble during the drive home, not enough to push temperatures up, but clearly enough to drain the coolant reservoir.

A quick explanation, keen-eyed readers will note I have made mention of motor and battery temperatures a number of times, despite a misguided few claiming the proliferation of EVs would be the end of the automotive mechanic, yet this is not true.

EVs, generally, have a need for ultra-reliable and effective cooling systems, to manage the waste heat generated during running and charging, while other areas include brake and suspension systems that need regular maintenance and replacement.

Yes, there are no oil, air or fuel filters on EVs, so the fortunes of Ryco might take a hit, God Bless the Z9 and all who sail in her, but the size and complexity of these other systems will keep mechanics and workshops in a healthy shade of black ink for many decades to come.

So, with a warning to check the battery coolant, backed up by the loss of the dedicated pink fluid, sadly, there was one less Ioniq 5N on the road, and our pre-booked track test at Carnell Raceway at Stanthorpe was no longer happening.

That said, I have seen ICE cars sidelined by similar problems after coming into close encounters with our native wildlife, so this is not to be interpreted as an EV-specific problem.

Sadly, after a couple of calls to Hyundai to give them the bad news, the 5N departed my driveway, enroute for a sleepover and refresh with the body shop, before returning to the roads looking and feeling like new.

All of which speaks volumes for the safety of modern cars, yes, it took the hit, and sacrificed some of its parts, but I came away without a mark, and continued on to go on with my night as though nothing had happened.

And for that, I say 'thank you' to Hyundai, and all the other manufacturers working to make our driving safer.