Technical Paper
An approach to front collisions between passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, with emphasis on front bumpers
1997-12-31
973078
Recent studies in the USA show 2800 passenger casualties/year, due to automobiles and light vehicles impacting against the front structure of medium and heavy trucks at speeds over 45 mph. This same driver or passenger leaves the vehicle and becomes a pedestrian. What is being done in the automotive industry to face this situation? What improvements can be expected in automobiles, trucks and buses in the XXI century? The results obtained in this work show that it is possible and very important for new projects and modernization of commercial vehicles (trucks and buses) to introduce a front bumper concept foreseeing the Passive Safety of third parties (passenger vehicles).
