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Results of a study to specify, develop, and test the handling characteristics of a prototype research safety vehicle are reported. Handling requirements which were used to evaluate the transient and steady state response and performance are described. These requirements and criteria were based on a review of contemporary results in the area of handling and controllability, and they combine vehicle performance envelopes and driver-centered considerations. The resulting criteria are used as handling objectives in the testing and evaluation of a prototype small sedan.

The Advanced Crash Avoidance Technologies (ACAT) program initiated by the National Highway Safety Administration had two major objectives. These were to develop a standardized Safety Impact Methodology (SIM) tool to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced technologies in avoiding and mitigating specific types of vehicle crashes; and to develop and demonstrate objective tests that are used in the SIM to verify the safety impact of a real system. Honda and Dynamic Research Inc. (DRI) have been developing and applying such SIMs for several years and have a Cooperative Agreement with NHTSA to further develop a SIM that provides an estimate of full systems safety benefits at a national level.