Effects of Vehicle Speed, Category, and Front-End Design on Full-Body Injury Risks of a Midsized Male Pedestrian

This study investigated how vehicle front-end geometry, impact speed, and vehicle category influence injury risk to a midsize male pedestrian. Eighty-one generic vehicle (GV) models representing sedans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), pickup trucks, and minivans sold in the United States were developed by morphing three base models using an automated pipeline. Front-end parameters that were varied included ground clearance (GC), bumper height (BH), hood leading-edge (HLE) height, hood length (HL), bumper lead angle (BLA), hood angle (HA), and windshield angle (WSA). Each vehicle impacted the Global Human Body Models Consortium 50^th percentile male simplified pedestrian (GHBMC M50-PS) model at 30, 40, and 50 kph, totaling 243 simulations. Boundary conditions followed the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) pedestrian test protocol. Thirty-five injury metrics were extracted across the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and lower extremities. Linear mixed-effects regression models assessed relationships between vehicle front-end geometry, impact speed, and injury outcomes, with predictor selection guided by principal component analysis (PCA) and collinearity diagnostics. Impact speed was the strongest predictor of injury severity across all body regions. GC and HLE height were also dominant predictors. Wrap-type trajectories were common at lower speeds and in SUVs, trucks, and minivans, while sedans and minivans showed roof vaulting at higher speeds. Head injury severity increased with speed and was influenced by HA and BLA. Minivans showed elevated brain injury criterion (BrIC) and cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM₂₅) values, indicating increased diffuse brain injury risk. Trucks produced the highest thoracoabdominal injury metrics, which correlated with HL, HA, and HLE height. Sedans showed higher right-side (trailing leg) femur forces, slightly lower left-side femur forces than SUVs and minivans, and lowest tibia moments. Trucks had greater tibia bending moments, while SUVs and minivans had higher left femur moments compared to sedans. GC and impact speed exacerbated lower extremity injuries, varying by vehicle category. These effects are driven by geometry: Higher GC increases the unsupported span below the knee, promoting tibial bending, while lower HLE heights shift impact forces above the knee, elevating femur injury risk.