Front Passenger Passive Restraint for Small Car, High Speed, Frontal Impacts

A front passenger passive restraint system has been developed which provides frontal impact protection under small car, high speed crash conditions. The system consists of an extended crushable dashpanel, a knee bar and a relatively small volume air bag. Computer simulations, static tests and sled tests have been used to develop this system for the range of occupant sizes from 6 yr. child to 95th percentile adult for crash speeds to 50 mph. This paper reviews these efforts and presents observations regarding not only the performance of the system but those concerned with production feasibility and consumer acceptance as well.

This research was conducted under contract to the U. S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA, under Contract DOT-HS-4-00972.