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Incomplete vehicles are partially manufactured by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and subsequently sold to and completed by a final-stage manufacturer. Section S8.8, Final-Stage Manufacturers and Alterers, of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 states “Vehicle that are manufactured in two or more stages or that are altered (within the meaning of 49 CFR 567.7) after having been previously certified in accordance with Part 567 of this chapter, are not subject to the requirements of S8.1 through S8.5. Instead, all vehicles produced by these manufacturers on or after September 1, 2012, must comply with this standard.” The FMVSS 126 compliance of the completed vehicle can be certified in three ways: by the OEM provided no alterations are made to identified components (TYPE 1), conditionally by the OEM provided the final-stage manufacturer follows specific guidelines (TYPE 2), or by the final-stage manufacturer (TYPE 3).

Consistent and accurate vehicle stopping distance measurements have been difficult to achieve across the industry including media vehicle evaluations. Initial test speed, brake pedal force application, tire burnish, road surface friction, and Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) efficiency are five test variables influencing variation in stopping distance measurements. This paper will discuss these five test variables and how to apply consistent test methods to reduce test variation.

Brake Assist System (BAS) requirements have been established by the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) in R13H. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems typically have the value added function of Panic Brake Assist (PBA) which is defined as a Category C (sensitive to multiple criteria) Brake Assist System. PBA is designed to force the vehicle into Antilock Brake System (ABS) and to maintain ABS control when the driver spikes the brake pedal and then temporarily reduces brake pedal force before reasserting more brake pedal force. ECE test protocol requires the use of brake ramp applications to define the mean acceleration force (maF) curve which is used to define the brake pedal force where ABS activates (FABS). After completing the brake ramp application test maneuvers and completing the data processing to define the maF curve, FABS, upper, and FABS, lower, the test driver then proceeds to run the panic brake assist portion of the test.