A study carried out by the RWTH University in Aachen aiming to see whether a longer reactor unit, designed to be more aerodynamic and safer for pedestrians, has considered whether it could be fitted with a crash management system (CMS).The CMS resulting from the study includes a lower part for protection against embedding which absorbs the energy from a front end crash. The upper section protects the driver. The system in question is constructed from aluminium alloys which absorb energy better than other materials. According to the European Aluminium Association, which quotes the study, the aluminium CMS only weighs 10 kg more than a conventional CMS whose absorption capacities are much lower. There is a hiccup, however: adopting the design necessary for this CMS by new tractor units would require a modification to the dimensions limits of European Directive 96/53 (which limits the total length of road units) in order that this safety improvement would have no consequences in terms of load capacity.