WHAT would happen if an atomic bomb were to explode at noon tomorrow without warning of any kind? Would the automobile turn out to be a death trap for many of us or would it offer as much protection as the ordinary building? Would there be any advantage in having the car turned away from the center of the blast or to having the windows rolled down? Would it be safer to crouch down on the floor of the car at the first sign of an atomic explosion? Would it be safe to enter our cars as soon as the first effects of the explosion have subsided? Would the cars run?
It was to find the answers to some of these questions that a group was invited to observe an experiment at the Nevada Proving Ground of the Atomic Energy Commission.
This group - which became the SAE-FCDA Advisory Committee - wrote the accompanying report, which tells about the experiment and some of the things that were learned.
A. L. Haynes of Ford is chairman of the committee. Other members are: R. B. Alexander of Packard, William Christensen of Nash-Kelvinator, V. B. Corey of Willys, N. F. Hadley of Chrysler, E. J. Martin and M. V. Muzzy of GMC, W. W. Smith of Studebaker, A. D. Wagner of Hudson, and R. C. Sackett of SAE, secretary.