Patent ID: 8191670

Claim:
A crash support assembly for a motor vehicle having a tunnel region extending in a longitudinal direction, at least one exhaust tract guided through the tunnel region, the motor vehicle further having first and second seat cross members disposed on opposite sides of the tunnel region, the seat cross members being aligned with one another and extending in lateral directions transverse to the longitudinal direction, the crash support assembly comprising: first and second supporting surfaces formed respectively on ends of the first and second seat cross members adjacent the tunnel region, said first and second supporting surfaces being parallel to one another, parallel to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the lateral directions; and a crash support clamped directly around the exhaust tract, said crash support having opposite first and second sides being parallel to said first and second supporting surfaces and being aligned with and facing said first and second supporting surfaces formed on the seat cross members, said first and second sides of said crash support having widths exceeding a diameter of the exhaust tract, whereby an impact that introduces lateral forces sufficient to move the first seat cross member laterally urging said first supporting surface into said first side of said crash support and urging said second side of said crash support into said second supporting surface formed on the second seat cross member for contributing to dimensional stability of the motor vehicle.