Effects of Anthropometry and Passive Restraint Deployment Timing on Occupant Metrics in Moderate-Severity Offset Frontal Collisions

There are established federal requirements and industry standards for frontal crash testing of motor vehicles. Consistently applied methods support reliability, repeatability, and comparability of performance metrics between tests and platforms. However, real world collisions are rarely identical to standard test protocols. This study examined the effects of occupant anthropometry and passive restraint deployment timing on occupant kinematics and biomechanical loading in a moderate-severity (approximately 30 kph delta-V) offset frontal crash scenario. An offset, front-to-rear vehicle-to-vehicle crash test was performed, and the dynamics of the vehicle experiencing the frontal collision were replicated in a series of three sled tests. Crash test and sled test vehicle kinematics were comparable. A standard or reduced-weight 50^th percentile male Hybrid III ATD (H3-50M) or a standard 5^th percentile female Hybrid III ATD (H3-5F) was belted in the driver’s seating position. In the crash test, the frontal airbag and lap and shoulder belt pretensioners deployed on commands from the vehicle’s airbag control module (ACM). In the sled tests, deployments were commanded with either similar timing or 12 milliseconds earlier. Small, measurable differences in occupant kinematics and biomechanical loading were observed. All biomechanical metrics were low compared to injury assessment reference values (IARVs), consistent with the moderate severity of the tests. The variations in parameters in these tests did not result in suboptimal interactions with restraints, such as submarining, belt webbing migration, or bottoming-out of the airbag resulting in direct occupant loading to the steering wheel. These results indicate that the variations in occupant anthropometry and restraint deployment times investigated did not substantially alter the low risk of serious injuries.