Safety
Protection for sideways rollover:
In adverse situations like exaggerated cornering speeds or a bust rear tire, a three-track velomobile can turn sideways and roll over. Due to its pronounced head fairing, the Milan provides a very efficient rollover protection. An extra bar which is integrated into the head fairing increases the stiffness of this part. During a multiple sideways rollover, the rider could slip out of a velomobile and thus not be protected any more. That's why the entry hatch of the Milan is designed in a way that prevents the rider from being flung out - the hatch is narrowed in the shoulder area. This is especially important when riding open-topped, without the hatch door. When riding with a closed hatch, the safety can be further increased by fixing the door in place. When the hatch is hung in, but not fixed, it opens during a sideways roll, preventing the Milan from further rollovers; in this case, the Milan will just skid on its side. It's hard to predict which of these cases is the least dangerous, but the important part is that adequate protection is provided in every mode of riding.
Protection for head-on crashes:
The hatch door is equipped with an impact protection made from polyurethane foam, which protects the rider's head in head-on crashes. Due to the sidestick steering, there is no risk of hitting a steering column with the face or the genitals.
Rear-end protection: The design of the head fairing prevents the rider's head from being flung backwards, and his or her neck from being injured by any edges or bulges.
Stability: The stability during cornering or strong side winds depends mainly on the position of the centre of gravity. Due to the shape of the bonnet, the rider can see through the opening between the knee bulges, allowing him or her to sit very low (especially true for short to medium riders) and thus achieving a low centre of gravity without disturbing the line of sight. The sidestick steering provides excellent control of the vehicle, including critical situations; even if one stick were to fail (for example due to failure of an angle joint), the vehicle could still be controlled with the other stick.
Injuries to others: The rounded shapes of the Milan and the closed wheel arches minimize the risk for injuries to other road users in case of a collision.
