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A three-step vehicle development process for crashworthiness in the frontal impact test mode is proposed in this paper. The three steps are: (a) System identification, (b) Initial Component Sizing and (c) Detailed Analyses, System Integration and Optimization, which suggests the use of FEA methods to do detailed analyses, system integration and design optimization as applicable in the later part of the process when more vehicle details are known. This paper discusses this process and the results achieved. Limitations inherent in this approach are also identified and discussed. The emphasis is on the development of the structural aspects of a vehicle for a high star rate performance in the NHTSA NCAP impact test mode.

This paper discusses steps for identifying, evaluating and recommending a quantifiable design metric or metrics for Side Airbag (SAB) development. Three functionally related and desirable attributes of a SAB are assumed at the onset, namely, effective SAB coverage, load distribution and efficient energy management at a controlled force level. The third attribute however contradicts the “banana shaped” force-displacement response that characterizes the ineffective energy management reality of most production SAB. In this study, an estimated ATD to SAB interaction energy is used to size and recommend desired force-deformation characteristic of a robust energy management SAB. The study was conducted in the following three phases and corresponding objectives: Phase 1 is a SAB assessment metric identification and estimation, using a uniform block attached to a horizontal impact machine.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has begun a new side impact crashworthiness evaluation of vehicles, using tests that represent impacts from large trucks and sport utility vehicles. This test protocol, intended as consumer information rating of vehicles, adds new challenges to current side impact crashworthiness development in both the vehicle structure and dummy responses. Available tests data seem to indicate that safety enhancement features that work for current US-SID and Euro-SID may not work for the SID-IIs dummy that is used in the IIHS test protocol, but may in fact deteriorate dummy response. This may partly be explained by the fact that the SID-IIs is not a scaled down dummy of either the US-SID or the Euro-SID. This paper presents and discusses the results from sled tests conducted to investigate countermeasures that will help improve the response of the SID-IIs in the Insurance Institute's side impact test.