Premieres Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS app + Encores Sunday, May 11 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV and 9 p.m. on KPBS 2
The two-part NOVA special ULTIMATE CRASH TEST explores what really happens in a multi-vehicle collision through a first-of-its-kind experiment that recreates the conditions of a highway pileup in a controlled setting where the data can be thoroughly analyzed to help improve car safety.
The first episode, "COUNTDOWN" takes us to a two-mile span of asphalt on Scotland's West Coast, where researchers and engineers have devised a unique and intricate experiment to assess a large-scale collision that mimics real-life conditions but in a controlled environment. Carefully chosen civilian drivers are enlisted to take part in an experiment that gives them control of remote-controlled vehicles.
They’re told that the purpose of the experiment is to enhance road safety, but what they don’t know is the vehicles they operate remotely will be caught in the middle of a major collision. The intense preparation for the most ambitious crash test ever conducted culminates as the cars barrel down an airport tarmac, not knowing what’s in store for them at the end.
The second episode, "IMPACT," explores the fallout of the crash and puts forensic analysis to the test. The drivers examine the cars they controlled and reflect on the realities of what could have happened if they had been behind the wheel, prompting them to reconsider their own driving habits.
At the same time, accident investigators arrive at the scene with no prior knowledge of what happened. They search for clues and reconstruct the event with the help of a 3-D LIDAR scan of the aftermath and meticulous forensic detective work.
Then, the findings go into the hands of students at prestigious Cranfield University in England, who will study the effects of high-speed impacts away from a traditional lab-based environment, informing the design of future automobiles to maximize safety.
Filmmaker Quote:
“As we all grapple with the emergence of automated vehicles and what they mean in the years ahead, ULTIMATE CRASH TEST reminds us that there’s so much more to learn about the human element of driving, which isn’t going away anytime soon,” said Executive Producer Dan Chambers. “The insights that this experiment gleans on driver behavior and vehicle design could very well save lives in the future.”
Watch On Your Schedule: NOVA: ULTIMATE CRASH TEST will be available to stream with the PBS app. Watch the best of PBS anytime, anywhere on the free PBS app. Stream your favorite PBS shows on-demand and livestream shows from your local station, all from your favorite device.
