Why Windshield Pillars On Modern Cars Got So Thick They're Now A Genuine Safety Risk - Jalopnik

Jalopnik links modern cars’ thicker A-pillars to rollover safety rules that reshaped vehicle bodies in the last decade. The A-pillars are the structural supports at either side of the front windshield and, according to the article, their increased size can contribute to outward-visibility complaints and online discussions about blind spots. It cites U.S. NHTSA requirements beginning around 2009, phased in through 2012–2017, which pushed roof strength to withstand three times a vehicle’s weight. It also references IIHS’s roof test approach, noting that the test was dropped in 2022 because most vehicles were already meeting higher thresholds.