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The concept of increasing strength requirements for automotive seats has been proposed as a means of reducing occupant injuries, particularly in the rear-end impact environment. This paper will evaluate various safety trade-offs and practical requirements of seat design brought about by modifications that include the rigidification of seat structures. Rigidified and yielding seat design concepts are evaluated, utilizing analytical procedures as well as data from static and dynamic tests. The effect of seat rigidification is examined in terms of occupant interaction with the surrounding structure and with the restraint system. Potential effects of these modifications on occupant kinematics and resulting injury exposures are also examined. The elastic properties of conventionally rigidified seat structures are compared to rigid seat structures in terms of their effect on occupant motion during collision.

To determine the relationship between seatback stiffness or strength and the likelihood of serious/fatal injury for drivers and rear seat occupants in rear-impact crashes, analyses were performed using 1995-2006 police-reported crash data from eleven states. Seatback stiffness and strength data was included for 29 different seatback designs used in 40 vehicle models (model years 1995-2006). Results indicate there is no statistically significant relationship between seatback stiffness or strength and the risk of serious/fatal injury in rear-impact crashes. Factors shown to have statistically significant effect on the likelihood of serious/fatal injury in rear-impact collisions include occupant age, gender, and alcohol impairment; vehicle type; and vehicle mass ratio.