An armored car has as its main objective the transport of high-value cargo, mainly money. And more than just taking things from one place to another, vehicles of this type need to fulfill another important mission: guaranteeing the safety of those inside in case of robberies.
But do you know what technologies are used for armored cars to carry out their work safely? Check it out in detail below.
How it works?
Image: Guilherme Zamarioli/UOL
First, we have the shape of the bodywork. It usually takes the form of a van: at the front we have the cabin, in which the driver and one more person travel. The back is intended for transporting valuables — and there is also room for more people.
It would be useless, however, for such a car to have a vulnerable structure. That’s where shielding comes in, and it needs to meet some prerequisites.
Considering the entire exterior of the car, it needs to be able to withstand the impact of 5.56x45mm, 7.62x51mm and 7.62x39mm rounds of ammunition.
This type of ammunition is used by heavier weapons such as assault rifles, rifles and machine guns. This applies to both “bodywork” and transparent surfaces, such as glass.
In the case of the windshield and side sights, optionally, they can also have transparent armor that resists the impact of 9mm ammunition projectiles, used by pistols and submachine guns, that are fired at a maximum distance of 5 meters.
The bodywork must also have hatch systems with at least six loopholes (small openings) that allow occupants to fire outwards at angles of up to 45 degrees.
The doors, on the other hand, follow the same shielding pattern as the bodywork, and they need to be equipped with locks that do not have an external command for the latches.
The part that carries the valuable items has a reinforced door safe, whose armor can vary, ranging from a lighter one capable of withstanding the impact of 9mm ammunition to a version capable of withstanding explosives.
Finally, there are reinforced bumpers, designed to withstand collisions. They are designed to prevent them from getting caught in obstacles or even the bumpers of other vehicles.
There is also the protection system for the headlights, which guarantees the lighting of the roads in low light conditions and, optionally, reinforced tires (which can use a plastic foam inside) that do not deflate if hit.
common questions
In addition to armoring, do vehicles receive structural reinforcements?
The chassis of a strong car is original, usually the same as those used in smaller trucks. It undergoes adaptations, such as the repositioning of the fuel tank, axles and suspension to support the extra weight and allow the armored body to be fixed.
The heavy trucks weigh more than eight tons, even without a load, which is much higher than the trucks on which they are based.
What is the vault protection system?
In addition to the shielding, there is a system that makes it open with a random password. In addition, it is possible to use trackers attached to the valuable cargo being transported.
Apart from that, the vehicle also has a communication system in permanent connection with the company’s base and with state police agencies.
What is the maximum speed of an armored car?
A vehicle of this type reaches 115 km/h, a speed that is electronically controlled.
Sources:
Marcello Nardi, director of operations at Prosegur Cash
Guilherme Wolf Lebrão, PhD and professor of Materials Engineering at the Mechanical Engineering Course at Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia (IMT)
