Dana engineers are currently pursuing collapsible driveshaft technology to make light vehicles safer.  As the name implies, collapsible driveshafts are designed to collapse inward during a vehicle crash.  By having the driveshaft collapse, energy is absorbed, which helps prevent crash forces from being transmitted through the vehicle.  This, in turn, helps to minimize damage and injury.

By using an electromagnetic forming process, which is similar to magnetic-pulse welding, Dana is developing collapsible designs for both steel and aluminum driveshaft applications.  The goal is to make driveshafts safer without compromising weight, cost, and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) characteristics.