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Here’s How You Can Differentiate between an Armoured Vehicle and A Regular Car.

Here’s How You Can Differentiate between an Armoured Vehicle and A Regular Car. 1

When you think about armored vehicles, are you reminded of a scene from ‘Olympus Has Fallen’- sleek, shiny, and black, standing out from the rest and equipped with the latest technology? Or do you think about armored tanks, big and bulky, slowly moving towards their target?

A Regular Car

In reality, armored vehicles are not very close in description to either of these. Recent technology has enabled armored vehicles to look like your regular car. Their specifications are, however, still very different from normal cars. This is because armored cars usually carry around VIPs. Hence they try to remain as inconspicuous as possible, at least in terms of exterior designs. There are still many ways you can differentiate between an armored vehicle and a regular car.

  1. Ballistic technology

This is the basic requirement for any armored vehicle. All the glass, doors, and panes bulletproof. The glass is also shatterproof and is manufactured using leaded glass and polycarbonate substrate. The glass is three inches thick. This technology enables the windows and doors to absorb any impact and spread it out evenly through the exterior so that the people inside the car can be safe. An easy way to identify armored vehicles- they will always have blackened windows.

The exterior frame is made with ballistic-grade steel. This is a major difference between armored vehicles and regular cars.

  1. Larger tires and bumpers.

You can look at the tires and bumpers’ size and shape to understand whether the vehicle is armored or regular. This is because armored vehicles almost invariably have bigger bumpers and tires since they are manufactured to keep moving until the passengers are taken to safety. Larger bumpers can withstand a greater impact, and bigger tires can function even when they are punctured.

  1. Specialized mechanics.

This obviously will not be very visible from the outside. Still, if you ever manage to observe an armored vehicle’s interiors, you will notice that the mechanics are vastly different from regular cars. There will be modified brakes, specialized engine components, and weapon activation systems, to name the most common specifications. Therefore, driving an armored vehicle would require a much higher level of competence. As such, only trained personnel are allowed to drive these for security reasons.

You have probably come across many armored vehicles but not been able to recognize them- therein lies the manufacturer’s ingenuity since efforts are still being made to make these vehicles as less conspicuous as possible. Often, these cars are very bulky to accommodate all the specifications, and efforts are being made to make them lightweight and more mobile. The next time you are in two minds, look for the telltale signs to know whether it is an armored vehicle or a regular car.

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