Development and Evaluation of a Kinematic Hood for Pedestrian Protection 2003-01-0897

The automotive industry is focusing more on protection of pedestrians and cyclists. Approximately 6000 out of every 35 000 persons killed in traffic accidents annually in the European Union are pedestrians. Therefore the development of passive measures to improve pedestrian safety is strongly supported by the European automotive industry. This paper describes in detail the mechanics and kinematics of an active hood. Furthermore the investigation of the integration and effects of the active hood in a feasible safety concept of modern cars is presented. Additionally, detailed evaluations of real hardware testing and simulation of pedestrian head impact are shown in this paper. The results are discussed, and some new information will be brought up for future strategies in safety concepts for new cars.