Federal-Mogul Corporation has developed a protective product for high voltage cables that it says will help protect occupants of electric and hybrid electric vehicles in the event of a crash.

The new material, called CrushShield, surrounds and protects electrical cables, keeping the electrical system isolated from the rest of the vehicle. Federal-Mogul says CrushShield is one of the first cable products in the market to meet the requirements of new U.S. federal vehicle safety regulations and is already in production for a market-leading hybrid electric vehicle.

"New U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard regulations (FMVSS 305), which take effect on September 1, 2011, require manufacturers of hybrids and electric vehicles to ensure that, in the event of an impact, the electrical energy storage, conversion and traction systems do not threaten the safety of the vehicle occupants," the company says.

"Either the systems must be electrically isolated from the vehicle's chassis or their voltage must be below specified levels that are considered safe from electric shock hazards. Similar safety regulations are expected to be introduced in other global markets," Federal- Mogul adds.

CrushShield encases the wire harness so that the battery cable remains isolated from the conducting structure of the vehicle. CrushShield incorporates a rugged, multi-layer fabric with a unique substrate design, which together absorbs and disperses energy. Federal-Mogul says that its construction helps manufacturers of existing hybrid and electric vehicle models meet the new regulations without requiring electrical component or wiring redesign.

"This innovative product demonstrates Federal-Mogul's depth of technical expertise in systems protection and our ability to quickly develop and deliver solutions to meet the needs of our customers," said Ramzi Hermiz, senior vice president, Federal-Mogul Vehicle Safety and Protection.

"CrushShield is the latest in a series of products that help the transportation industry move towards greener, safer vehicles."

CrushShield was developed by a collaborative team working in Exton, Penn., USA; Shonan, Japan and Crepy-en-Valois, France.