Evaluation of Variation in the Excursion Measured in the FMVSS 226 Ejection Mitigation Test Resulting from Test Vehicle Setup

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 226 outlines a component test methodology that consists of a linear impact test that uses a featureless head-form with a mass of 18 kg to impact a vehicle's side windows' daylight openings at various positions. The test measures the excursion of the head-form beyond the plane of the window glazing. The intention is to evaluate the ability of a vehicle's ejection mitigation system, such as the curtain airbag or other vehicle features, to manage the impactor energy and limit excursion. However, there are several factors which may cause variation in the amount of excursion measured in the test. These factors include how the vehicle is restrained for the test, the friction of the linear impactor shaft and the lateral deflection of the impactor shaft among others. This paper will present background information from a previous study on variability involving the impactor shaft as well as a study which identifies the effects of vehicle restraint on the excursion measured in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 226 test.