Results, Analysis and Conclusions of NHTSA's 35 MPH Frontal Crash Test Repeatability Program

The 35 mph frontal barrier crash Repeatability Test Program (RTF) conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) resulted from concerns over the significance of New Car Assessment Program data derived from a single crash test and the repeatability of that crash test data. To help identify and quantify, to the extent possible, the sources of variation, the agency initiated the RTP. The program consisted of a minimum of four frontal barrier impacts of 1982 Chevrolet Citations at three different test sites, and resulted in a total of fourteen tests. The fourteen identical make and model test vehicles were manufactured consecutively on the same production line in the same assembly plant in an attempt to achieve maximum possible uniformity. The NHTSA test sites were Calspan Corporation, Buffalo, New York; Dynamic Science Inc., Phoenix Arizona; and the Transportation Research Center, East Liberty, Ohio.

The RTP data was analyzed to examine data variability due to test facility, test instrumentation, test procedure, the test dummy and the test vehicle. The analysis also examined any correlation that existed within the various data results.