Search Results

Rear underride crashes kill thousands of people yearly worldwide. Underride guards did not follow the progress achieved by the automotive safety technology. Searching for solutions to this problem, two new guards have been designed and three crash tests carried out. A new articulated, an energy absorbing conceptual guard and a guard constructed according to the European (ECE-R58) regulation were tested. Both the new guards could avoid underride, the ECE-R58 one could not. The tests pointed out that the new articulated guard could be used after a few modifications and the conceptual one needs further optimization to become commercially feasible.

The mechanical principle of a simple pliers tool was applied to design a new energy absorbing rear underride guard. The guard, consisting of a hanging steel frame held by a steel cables net, could avoid underride of a GM Vectra at 64 km/h colliding in 50% offset. Injury criteria measured at Hybrid 3 dummies showed a low crash severity (HIV = 381). The guard needs, however, further optimization to become commercially feasible.