Loadcell Data Analysis from Frontal NCAP Tests to Assess Aggressivity and Compatibility of Battery Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

A total of 368 frontal New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests (including 24 tests with Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)) with high-resolution loadcell data were analyzed to investigate vehicle crash compatibility, especially between Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEVs) and BEVs. An Indirect Frontal Crash Model (IFCM) for Full-Overlap (FO) Vehicle-to-Moving Deformable Barrier (V2MDB) using loadcell data from frontal NCAP tests was developed to assess vehicle aggressivity. An analytical solution of the IFCM for FO/V2MDB was obtained and used to develop a new aggressivity metric. In addition, the Max. Standard Deviation (SD) of loadcell forces was used to assess vehicle front-end homogeneity. In the case studies, vehicle compatibility was assessed by the new aggressivity metric and Max. SD, along with typical frontal crash metrics.