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This paper describes a new test methodology for simulating a near side oblique pole impact per FMVSS 214. Given the complexity, time, and cost of using full vehicle crash tests to develop occupant restraint systems, it is desirable to have a simple test method that allows engineers to develop an optimized restraint system in a timely and cost effective manner. The authors will present a new sled test method that accurately simulates a full vehicle oblique pole side impact test using only minimal vehicle components. This test method was validated through correlation with vehicle testing using the SID IIs (5th percentile female) and the ES2-RE (50th percentile male) dummies, on both a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and mid sized sedan to show application of this test method to a wide range of vehicle architectures.

As a part of its ejection mitigation research, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a linear impact test that uses a featureless head-form to impact a vehicle's side windows' daylight opening at various positions. The test measures the excursion of the head-form beyond the plane of the window glazing. The intention is to evaluate the ability of a vehicle's ejection mitigation countermeasures, such as the curtain airbag or other vehicle features, to manage the impactor energy and limit excursion. However, at this time NHTSA has not yet established the performance criteria for the excursion. Additionally, there is no clear agreement on the energy level to be used for ejection mitigation testing. The agency has considered three energy levels for the head-form impact: 178, 280, and 400 Joules [ 9 ].