Hostile vehicle mitigation

Hostile vehicle mitigation, or HVM, is the use of tested barriers to stop a vehicle attack before it reaches a building. It covers bollards, barriers, gates and street furniture, each tested against a defined vehicle at a defined speed. The range lets specifiers set the stand-off distance and the rating each line of defence must meet.

• PAS 68 and IWA 14-1Impact test standards for HVM barriers
• 1,500 to 30,000 kgTest vehicle masses in the standards
• Test speeds 48 to 80 km/hStandard impact velocities
• Standoff decides safetyDistance between barrier and facade

What is hostile vehicle mitigation

HVM is the set of physical measures that stop or divert a vehicle being used as a weapon. It sits at the boundary of a site and forms the delay layer of a layered security plan: deter, detect, delay. The barrier buys time and distance while access control manages legitimate vehicles and the building facade resists what gets through.

The range covers security bollards for footways and forecourts, security gates and sliding vehicle gates for entrances, and HVM street furniture for public spaces that must stay welcoming. Our perimeter and HVM hub introduces each product in the range.

Which rating do you need for hostile vehicle mitigation

Start from the threat vehicle and the speed it could reach on the approach to your site. The table below shows how specifiers commonly match vehicle and speed to a test. Read the full rating designation as well: the penetration distance and the impact angle complete the picture.

The method behind these figures is explained in our vehicle impact ratings guide, which covers PAS 68, IWA 14-1 and ISO 22343-1:2023.

How HVM barriers work

A barrier stops a vehicle by absorbing its kinetic energy and passing the load into its foundations. That is why the rating covers the installed system, not the product on its own. A bollard that passed its test in one foundation detail does not carry the rating in a different one.

Standoff is the distance between the barrier line and the facade. Every metre of standoff reduces the effect of a vehicle-borne threat on the building. Set the barrier line as far from the facade as the site allows, then choose products that fit the line.

Design the line, then the product. Walk the boundary, mark every vehicle approach, and fix the barrier line before choosing products. Gaps at driveways and service yards undo the protection of the rest of the line.

Combining HVM with other ratings

Barriers handle the vehicle; the building still needs its own layers. At entrances, pair the barrier line with rated gates and pedestrian control such as security portals. Behind the standoff, harden the facade with blast rated curtain walling for glazed areas, blast resistant doors at service entrances and security doors rated to LPS 1175 against forced entry.

Where HVM is used

Government and defence estates use HVM at perimeters, car parks and delivery yards. Transport hubs protect forecourts and drop-off zones where vehicles mix with crowds. Public spaces such as squares and event venues need protection that does not spoil the setting. Data centres guard compounds and generator yards where an outage would be costly.

What sets the cost and lead time for hostile vehicle mitigation

Several factors set the budget and programme. The length of the protected line and the number of vehicle entrances drive quantities. Foundation depth and ground conditions decide the civil work, and buried services may force a shallow mount detail. Operable elements such as gates and removable bollards add mechanical and electrical scope. Finish, for example powder coating to a site palette, and work in conservation areas each add coordination time. No prices are given here because every site differs.

How to specify HVM

1. Define the threat. Name the vehicle mass and the speed it could reach on each approach.
2. Set the standoff. Fix the distance from the barrier line to the facade.
3. Choose barrier types. Match bollards, gates or street furniture to each zone.
4. Confirm the foundation. Build to the tested foundation detail, without changes.
5. Coordinate access. Keep routes for deliveries, refuse collection and emergency vehicles.
6. Ask for test evidence. Request third-party test evidence naming the standard and the rating.

Hostile vehicle mitigation FAQs