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The paper reviews the Cranfield Impact Centre (CIC) experience with dynamic simulation of the collapse behaviour of minibus and coach body structures in rollovers and frontal impacts and the interaction between occupants and seats in a variety of loading scenarios. This work supported development of the: a. ECE (UN-Geneva) and EEC (European Union) safety standards for rollover strength and safety of seats with belts; b. Rollover safety Type Approval method, combining numerical simulation and component tests; c. Safety structures for rollover protection and in passenger seats. Characteristic extracts from various projects demonstrate not only the usefulness and capability of dynamic simulation, but also the difficulties associated with this rapidly developing field of safety technology.

The paper presents the new ‘universal’ coach safety twin seat (patent pending). It carries three-point belts, but also protects occupants sitting behind whether empty or fully loaded and whether the rear occupants are unbelted or lap-belted. The extreme 12 g reverse acceleration pulse was applied with seat spacing of 750 mm and 650 mm. The ECE Regulation 80 injury criteria were met in both Hybrid II and Hybrid III dummies (50 %ile, 5 %ile and 95 %ile), as well as the Hybrid III neck injury levels. The seat passed the 76/115/EEC belt anchorage test. With mass of 36.3 kg, conventional materials and production methods, the technical and commercial concept feasibility of such seats was fully demonstrated.