Some Automated / Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) have unique seating configurations
(stagecoach and campfire seating) which present expanded occupant safety
challenges. Significant portions of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) do not yet
align with AVs containing unique seating. This paper series takes the NHTSA
occupant safety standard approach for conventional forward-facing seat vehicles
where many compliance evaluations are in the frequently occupied front row and
expands it to stagecoach and campfire AVs where the rear seating row is
anticipated to be frequently occupied. The approaches proposed are from a
logic-based safety-focused analysis and in many cases previously published
material. The goal of this paper series is to offer regulatory proposals that
enable equivalent performance for these AVs to existing forward-facing seating
vehicle occupant safety standards and meet Executive Order 13045 on child
safety.
Part 1 (this paper) focuses on occupant protection for the front and rear seating
rows in stagecoach and campfire seating AVs for: front impacts (FMVSS-208),
windshield mounting (FMVSS-212), windshield glazing (FMVSS-219), rear impacts
(FMVSS-301/305), head restraints (FMVSS-202a), head impacts (FMVSS-201), side
impacts (FMVSS-214), roof crush (FMVSS-216a), ejection mitigation (FMVSS-226),
and door pinch (a potential FMVSS-118 addition).
Some of the proposals address occupant performance for vehicles without
traditional leg and restraint reaction surfaces. In addition, an interior safety
sensing approach that assesses if occupants are properly restrained before a
ride can begin is proposed as an alternative / a replacement for unbelted
in-position occupant performance compliance evaluations. This document also
provides regulatory condition thoughts for AVs without a usable driver seat
location.
Part 2 (SAE paper 2026-01-0576) discusses interior safety sensing and associated
messaging.
These approaches can be used in industry-wide regulatory next step contemplation
and deliberation for unique interior seating arrangement AVs, including public
discussions, safety research, approach proposal development, and rulemaking
efforts.