Browse Topic: Crashes

Items (6,141)

DISRUPT - Decentralized Intelligent System for Road User Prediction and Tracking

2025-01-0294To be published on 07/02/2025

We present DISRUPT, a research project to develop a cooperative traffic perception and prediction system based on networked infrastructure and vehicle sensors. Decentralized tracking and prediction algorithms are used to estimate the dynamic state of road users and predict their state in the near future. Compared to centralized approaches, which currently dominate traffic perception, decentralized algorithms offer advantages such as greater flexibility, robustness and scalability. Mobile sensor boxes are used as infrastructure sensors and the locally calculated status estimates are communicated in such a way that they can augment local estimates from other sensor boxes or vehicles. In addition, the information is transferred to a cloud that collects the local estimates and provides traffic visualization functionalities. The prediction module then calculates the future dynamic state based on neurocognitive behavior and a measure of a road user's risk of being involved in dangerous

Beutenmüller, Frank, Brostek, Lukas, Doberstein, Christian, Han, Longfei, Kefferpütz, Klaus, Obstbaum, Martin, Pawlowski, Antonia, Rössert, Christian, Sas-Brunschier, Lucas, Schön, Thilo, Sichermann, Jörg

Yaw Motion of Motor Vehicles

2025-01-5043

To be published on 06/20/2025

Vehicular accident reconstruction is intended to explain the stages of a collision. This also includes the description of the driving trajectories of vehicles. Stored driving data is now often available for accident reconstruction, increasingly including gyroscopic sensor readings. Driving dynamics parameters such as lateral acceleration in various driving situations are already well studied, but angular rates such as those around the yaw axis are little described in the literature. This study attempts to reduce this gap somewhat by evaluating high-frequency measurement data from real, daily driving operations in the field. 813 driving maneuvers, captured by accident data recorders, were analyzed in detail and statistically evaluated. These devices also make it possible to record events without an accident. The key findings show the average yaw rates as a function of driving speed as well as the ratio between mean and associated peak yaw rate. Beyond that, considerably lower yaw rates

Fuerbeth, Uwe

Head Accelerations and Concussion Risks in Low-to-Moderate–Speed Rear-End Collisions

2025-01-5041

To be published on 06/10/2025

Recent studies have investigated head injury metrics, including mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion risks, in low- to moderate-speed rear-end collisions, with linear and angular head accelerations contributing to the risk of developing a concussion. The present study analyzes head acceleration values in rear-end collisions at an impact severity of 5–30 km/h delta-V. Biomechanical data was obtained from HIII 50th percentile male anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) seated in the target subject vehicles and utilizing safety restraints and head rests. Concussion risks were calculated from resultant linear and angular head accelerations recorded in the ATDs, and a linear regression model was used to determine what, if any, relationship existed between these head injury metrics and impact severity. The results indicate that there is a significant and positive relationship between head acceleration metrics and impact severity, particularly in the sagittal plane, with F-values

Garcia, Beatriz, Emanet, Hatice Seyda, Hoffman, Austin

Analysis and Evaluation of Roll Safety Thresholds of Tractor Semi-Trailer Vehicles during Turning Maneuvers Based on the Yaw Rate of Vehicle Bodies and Roll Safety Factor

02-18-04-0024

06/05/2025

This article aims to analyze and evaluate the roll safety thresholds (RSTs) and roll safety zones of tractor semi-trailer vehicles during turning maneuvers, using the roll safety factor (RSF) and yaw rate of the vehicle bodies. To achieve this, a full dynamics model is established using the multibody system method. This model is then used to survey and evaluate the vehicle’s motion state, using ramp steer maneuver (RSM) steering rules. In each survey case, the maximum values of RSF and yaw rate of vehicle bodies are synthesized in 3D data, with an initial velocity range of 40 km/h to 80 km/h and a magnitude of steering wheel angle range of 12.5° to 300°. These 3D data are used to determine the proposed values of RSF, which can be used as examples to set the threshold values of the yaw rate of vehicle bodies and roll safety zones. At a velocity of 60 km/h, the dynamic rollover threshold for proposed roll safety factor (RSFprop) is equal to 1, with corresponding values of 15.718°/s and

Hung, Ta Tuan

LightNetDehaze: Lightweight and Unsupervised Single-Image Dense Haze Removal

12-09-01-0005

05/26/2025

Image dehazing techniques can play a vital role in object detection, surveillance, and accident prevention, especially in scenarios where visibility is compromised because of light scattering by atmospheric particles. To obtain a high-quality image or as an initial step in processing, it’s crucial to restore the scene’s information from a single image, given that this is an ill-posed inverse problem. The present approach utilized an unsupervised learning approach to predict the transmission map from a hazy image and used YOLOv8n to detect the car from a clear recovered image. The dehazing model utilized a lightweight parallel channel architecture to extract features from the input image and estimate the transmission map. The clear image is recovered using an atmospheric scattering model and given to the YOLOv8n for car detection. By incorporating dark channel prior loss during training, the model eliminates the need for a paired dataset. The proposed dehazing model with fewer

Dave, Chintan, Patel, Hetal, Kumar, Ahlad

Occupant Restraint and Equipment Mounting Integrity - Rear Impact Ambulance Patient Compartment

J3044_202505 (Current)

05/20/2025

This SAE Recommended Practice describes the test procedures for conducting rear impact occupant restraint and equipment mounting integrity tests for ambulance patient compartment applications. Its purpose is to describe crash pulse characteristics and establish recommended test procedures that will standardize restraint system and equipment mount testing for ambulances. Descriptions of the test set-up, test instrumentation, photographic/video coverage, and the test fixtures are included.

Truck Crashworthiness Committee

Occupant Restraint and Equipment Mounting Integrity - Side Impact Ambulance Patient Compartment

J2956_202505 (Current)

05/20/2025

This SAE Recommended Practice describes the test procedures for conducting side impact occupant restraint and equipment mounting integrity tests for ambulance patient compartment applications. Its purpose is to describe crash pulse characteristics and establish recommended test procedures that will standardize restraint system and equipment mounting testing for ambulances. Descriptions of the test set-up, test instrumentation, photographic/video coverage, and the test fixtures are included.

Truck Crashworthiness Committee

Proposed Reformulation of Brain Injury Criteria (BrIC) Using Head Rotation-Induced Brain Injury Thresholds Simulated and Derived Directly from A Subhuman Primate Finite Element Model

2025-22-0003

05/13/2025

Recent studies have found that Brain Injury Criteria (BrIC) grossly overpredicts instances of real-world, severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, as it stands, BrIC is the leading candidate for a rotational head kinematics-based brain injury criteria for use in automotive regulation and general safety standards. This study attempts to understand why BrIC overpredicts the likelihood of brain injury by presenting a comprehensive analysis of live primate head impact experiments conducted by Stalnaker et al. (1977) and the University of Pennsylvania before applying these injurious conditions to a finite element (FE) monkey model. Data collection included a thorough analysis and digitization of the head impact dynamics and resulting pathology reports from Stalnaker et al. (1977) as well as a representative reconstruction of the Penn II baboon diffuse axonal injury (DAI) model. Computational modeling techniques were employed on a FE Rhesus monkey model, first introduced by Arora et al

Demma, Dominic R., Tao, Ying, Zhang, Liying, Prasad, Priya

Development of a Generic Nearside Impact Test Fixture for Evaluating In-Vehicle Crashworthiness of Wheelchairs

2025-22-0002

05/13/2025

Current voluntary standards for wheelchair crashworthiness only test under frontal and rear impact conditions. To help provide an equitable level of safety for occupants seated in wheelchairs under side impact, we developed a sled test procedure simulating nearside impact loading using a fixed staggered loading wall. Publicly available side impact crash data from vehicles that could be modified for wheelchair use were analyzed to specify a relevant crash pulse. Finite element modeling was used to approximate the side impact loading of a wheelchair during an FMVSS No. 214 due to vehicle intrusion. Validation sled tests were conducted using commercial manual and power wheelchairs and a surrogate wheelchair base fixture. Test procedures include methods to position the wheelchair to provide consistent loading for wheelchairs of different dimensions. The fixture and procedures can be used to evaluate the integrity of wheelchairs under side impact loading conditions.

Boyle, Kyle, Hu, Jingwen, Manary, Miriam, Orton, Nichole R., Klinich, Kathleen D.

Crash Performance Improvement: The Impact of Engine Mount Crash Plates on Achieving a 5-Star Safety Rating

2025-01-0085

05/05/2025

Electric vehicles (EVs) differ from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in that they lack a conventional engine and feature an electric drive unit, leading to distinct dynamic behaviours in the powertrain. Additionally, the arrangement of auxiliary components in EVs often differs from that in traditional ICE vehicles, which can sometimes significantly impact safety ratings. This paper examines a case study of a critical failure during a crash test, where displacement of an engine mount arm caused substantial structural intrusion and reduced the vehicle’s safety rating. To address this issue and enhance crashworthiness, a “crash plate” was designed and integrated into the mount system. This solution effectively constrained the mount arm’s movement during impact, preventing the intrusion observed in previous tests. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the crash plate’s dimensions and its relationship to the engine mount, demonstrating its potential for broader application in

Hazra, Sandip, Khan, Arkadip, Mohare, Gourishkumar

Analysis of Lane Departure Caused by Inadequate Motorcycle Driving Maneuvers Due to Road Alignment

2024-32-0034

04/18/2025

There are many riders who drive motorcycles on winding mountain roads and caused single motorcycle traffic accidents on curved roads by lane departure. Driving a motorcycle requires subtle balancing and maneuvering. In this study, in order to clarify the influence of lane departure caused by inadequate driving maneuvers against road alignment, the authors analyzed the required curve initial operation and driving maneuvers in curves depending on the traveling speed using a kinematics simulation for motorcycle dynamics. In addition, it was analyzed how inadequate driving maneuvers for curved roads can easily cause lane departure. As a result, it shows that the steering maneuvers and the lean of motorcycle body during the curves are highly affected by the vehicle speed, and the required maneuvers increases rapidly with increasing speed. The inadequate maneuver in the curves, especially for the lean of motorcycle body and steering torque, even by 10%, may cause failure to follow the

Kuniyuki, Hiroshi, Takechi, So

Predicting Real-time Crash Risks during Hurricane Evacuation Using Connected Vehicle Data

09-13-01-0006

04/12/2025

Hurricane evacuations generate high traffic demand with increased crash risk. To mitigate such risk, transportation agencies can adopt high-resolution vehicle data to predict real-time crash risks. Previous crash risk prediction models mainly used limited infrastructure sensor data without covering many road segments. In this article, we present methods to determine potential crash risks during hurricane evacuation from an emerging alternative data source known as connected vehicle data that contain vehicle speed and acceleration information collected at a high frequency (mean = 14.32, standard deviation = 6.82 s). The dataset was extracted from a database of connected vehicle data for the evacuation period of Hurricane Ida on Interstate-10 in Louisiana. Five machine learning models were trained considering weather features and different traffic characteristics extracted from the connected vehicle data. The results indicate that the Gaussian process boosting and extreme gradient

Syed, Zaheen E Muktadi, Hasan, Samiul

A Low-Entry Bus Body Structure Performance under the Conditions of the New Car Assessment Program Frontal Crash Tests

09-13-02-0007

04/09/2025

The New Car Assessment Program (e.g., US NCAP and EuroNCAP) frontal crash tests are an essential part of vehicle safety evaluations, which are mandatory for the certification of civil means of transport prior to normal road exploitation. The presented research is focused on the behavior of a tubular low-entry bus frame during a frontal impact test at speeds of 32 and 56 km/h, perpendicular to a rigid wall surface. The deformation zones in the bus front and roof parts were estimated using Ansys LS-DYNA and considered such factors as the additional mass (1630 kg) of electric batteries following the replacement of a diesel engine with an electric one. This caused stabilization of the electric bus body along the transverse axis, with deviations decreased by 19.9%. Speed drop from 56 to 32 km/h showed a reduction of the front window sill deformations from 172 to 132 mm, and provided a twofold margin (159.4 m/s2) according to the 30g ThAC criterion of R80. This leads to the conclusion about

Holenko, Kostyantyn, Dykha, Aleksandr, Koda, Eugeniusz, Kernytskyy, Ivan, Royko, Yuriy, Horbay, Orest, Berezovetska, Oksana, Rys, Vasyl, Humeniuk, Ruslan, Berezovetskyi, Serhii, Chalecki, Marek

An Overview and Testing of Pedal Misapplication Systems

2025-01-870504/01/2025

Performance testing was conducted to assess the effectiveness of five different pedal misapplication mitigation (PMM) systems in a simulated PMM scenario. These systems are components of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), which are designed to detect and mitigate inadvertent sudden accelerator pedal misapplications by drivers. A 2023 BMW iX, 2020 Tesla Model 3, 2014 Subaru Forester, 2020 Subaru Outback, and a 2023 Subaru Ascent were tested in a simulated pedal misapplication scenario, whereby the test vehicle's accelerator was quickly depressed with a stationary pedestrian and vehicle target in front of the test vehicle. The testing involved measuring the performance of the respective vehicles' pedal misapplication mitigation systems, including when or if engine/motor output or throttle was limited or reduced, whether a forward collision warning was provided, or if the vehicle automatically engaged braking and/or braked to a stop before contact with the soft targets. Results of

Harrington, Shawn, Takbhate, Shubham Ramraja, Martin, Nicholas, Patrick-Moline, Peyton, Handzic, Dino

Evaluation of Several Tesla Dashcam Angles for Model 3 and Y via Reverse Project Photogrammetry

2025-01-8700

04/01/2025

Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles come equipped with a standard dashcam feature with the ability to record video in multiple directions. Front, side, and rear views were readily available via direct USB download. Additional types of front and side views were indirectly available via privacy requests with Tesla. Prior research neither fully explored the four most readily available camera views across multiple vehicles nor field camera calibration techniques particularly useful for future software and hardware changes. Moving GPS instrumented vehicles were captured traveling approximately 7.2 kph to 20.4 kph across the front, side, and rear views available via direct USB download. Reverse project photogrammetry projects and video timing data successfully measured vehicle speeds with an average error of 2.45% across 25 tests. Previously researched front and rear camera calibration parameters were reaffirmed despite software changes, and additional parameters for the side cameras

Jorgensen, Michael, Swinford, Scott, Imada, Kevin, Farhat, Ali

New Implant May Help Patients Regenerate Their Own Heart Valves

TBMG-52862

04/01/2025

Every year, more than 5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with heart valve disease, but this condition has no effective long-term treatment. When a person’s heart valve is severely damaged by a birth defect, lifestyle, or aging, blood flow is disrupted. If left untreated, there can be fatal complications.

The Effects of Collision-Related Power Loss on Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ Event Data

2025-01-8713

04/01/2025

Toyota vehicles equipped with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) can record detailed information surrounding various driving events, including crashes. Often, this data is employed in accident reconstruction. TSS data is comprised of three main categories: Vehicle Control History (VCH), Freeze Frame Data (FFD), and image records. Because the TSS data resides in multiple Electronic Control Units (ECUs), the data recording is susceptible to catastrophic power loss. In this paper, the effects of a sudden power loss on the VCH, FFD, and images are studied. Events are triggered on a TSS 2.5+ equipped vehicle by driving toward a stationary target. After system activation, a total power loss is induced at various delays after activation. Results show that there is a minimum time required after system initiation in order to obtain full VCH, FFD, and image records. Power losses occurring within this time frame produce incomplete records. Data accuracy is unaffected, even in partial records.

Getz, Charles, DiSogra, Matthew, Spivey, Heath, Johnson, Taylor, Patel, Amit

Accuracy of Mobile Phone LiDAR on Crashed Vehicles

2025-01-8692

04/01/2025

Apple’s mobile phone LiDAR capabilities can be used with multiple software applications to capture the geometry of vehicles and smaller objects. The results from different software have been previously researched and compared to traditional ground-based LiDAR. However, results were inconsistent across software applications, with some software being more accurate and others being less accurate. (Technical Paper 2023-01-0614. Miller, Hashemian, Gillihan, Benes.) This paper builds upon existing research by utilizing the updated LiDAR hardware that Apple has added to its iPhone 15 smartphone lineup. This new hardware, in combination with the software application PolyCam, was used to scan a variety of crashed vehicles. These crashed vehicles were also scanned using a FARO 3D scanners and Leica RTC 360 scanners, which have been researched extensively for their accuracy. The PolyCam scans were compared to FARO and Leica scans to determine accuracy for point location and scaling. Previous

Miller, Seth Higgins, Stogsdill, Michael, McWhirter, Seth

Literature Review and Framework for Identifying Seat Belt Misuse and Misrouting in Frontal Collisions

2025-01-8721

04/01/2025

The effect of seat belt misuse and/or misrouting is important to consider because it can influence occupant kinematics, reduce restraint effectiveness, and increase injury risk. As new seatbelt technologies are introduced, it is important to understand the prevalence of seatbelt misuse. This type of information is scarce due to limitations in available field data coding, such as in NASS-CDS and FARS. One explanation may be partially due to assessment complexity in identifying misuse and/or misrouting. An objective of this study was to first identify types of lap-shoulder belt misuse/misrouting and associated injury patterns from a literature review. Nine belt misuse/misrouting scenarios were identified including shoulder belt only, lap belt only, or shoulder belt under the arm, for example, while belt misrouting included lap belt on the abdomen, shoulder belt above the breasts, or shoulder belt on the neck. Next, the literature review identified various methods used to assess misuse

Gu, Emily, Parenteau, Chantal

Research on Dangerous Driving Behavior Recognition Algorithm Based on LSTM

2025-01-8204

04/01/2025

To address the issue of high accident rates in road traffic due to dangerous driving behaviors, this paper proposes a recognition algorithm for dangerous driving behaviors based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. Compared with traditional methods, this algorithm innovatively integrates high-frequency trajectory data, historical accident data, weather data, and features of the road network to accurately extract key temporal features that influence driving behavior. By modeling the behavioral data of high-accident-prone road sections, a comprehensive risk factor is consistent with historical accident-related driving conditions, and assess risks of current driving state. The study indicates that the model, in the conditions of movement track, weather, road network and conditions with other features, can accurately predict the consistent driving states in current and historical with accidents, to achieve an accuracy rate of 85% and F1 score of 0.82. It means the model can

Huang, Yinuo, Zhang, Miaomiao, Xue, Ming, Jin, Xin

Lightweight Optimization of an Electric Bus Body Frame Based on the C ² oDE Algorithm

2025-01-8654

04/01/2025

In this work, design optimization for the lightweight of the body frame of a commercial electric bus with the requirements of stiffness, strength and crashworthiness is presented. The technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is applied to calculate the components that have a great impact on the output response of the static modal model and the rear-end collision model. The thickness of the five components with the highest contribution in the two models is determined as the final design variable. Design of experiment (DOE) is carried out based on the Latin Hypercube sampling method, and then the surrogate models are fitted by the least squares regression (LSR) method based on the DOE sampling data. The error analysis of the surrogate model is carried out to determine whether it can replace the finite element (FE) model for optimization, then the optimization scheme for lightweight optimization of electric bus frame is implemented based on the algorithm of

Yang, Xiujian, Tian, Dekuan, Liu, Jiaqi, Cui, Yan, Lin, Qiang

Improving Modal Frequencies in Class 5 Truck Fuel Cell Tank Structure through Topology Optimization

2025-01-8648

04/01/2025

In addition to electric vehicles (EVs), hydrogen fuel cell systems are gaining attention as energy-efficient propulsion options. However, designing fuel cell vehicles presents unique challenges, particularly in terms of storage systems for heavy hydrogen tanks. These challenges impact factors such as NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) and safety performance. This study presents a topology optimization study for Hydrogen Energy Storage System (HESS) tank structure in Class 5 trucks, with a focus on enhancing the modal frequencies. The study considers a specific truck configuration with a HESS structure located behind the crew cab, consisting of two horizontally stacked hydrogen tanks and two tanks attached on both sides of the frame. The optimization process aimed to meet the modal targets of this hydrogen tank structure in the fore-aft (X) and lateral (Y) directions, while considering other load cases such as a simplified representation of GST (global static torsion), simplified

Yoo, Dong Yeon, Chavare, Sudeep, Viswanathan, Sankar, Mouyianis, Adam

A Preliminary Study of Occupant Kinematics and Injuries in a Frontal Crash with Occupant Face-to-Face Scenario

2025-01-8736

04/01/2025

This paper investigates a novel seating arrangement where occupants face each other, focusing on occupant safety during a 56 km/h frontal impact, a standard test condition for assessing crashworthiness. A preliminary study was carried out, examining three distinct cases: a forward-facing 50th percentile occupant in third row seat, a rear-facing 50th percentile occupant in second row seat, and the interaction between these two occupant orientations. The study utilized both elastic flexible and rigid seat designs to analyze the impact on occupant kinematics and injury outcomes. The results demonstrate that the seating position has a significant influence on occupant injuries. Rear-facing occupants are primarily at risk due to seat design, whereas forward-facing occupants face a higher risk of injury from the increased space between occupants, lacking a reactive surface to mitigate impact forces. Notably, direct interaction between occupants did not result in severe injuries. However

Liu, Chong, Li, Kun, Liu, Yutao, Lv, Xiaojiang, Wang, Yonghui, Zhou, Dayong, Yang, Heping

Design of an Integrated Crash Safety Test Scenario: Rear-End Collision in SUBSEQUENCE of Emergency Braking

2025-01-8747

04/01/2025

The integrated vehicle crash safety design provides longer pre-crash preparation time and design space for the in-crash occupant protection. However, the occupant’s out-of-position displacement caused by vehicle’s pre-crash emergency braking also poses challenges to the conventional restraint system. Despite the long-term promotion of integrated restraint patterns by the vehicle manufacturers, safety regulations and assessment protocols still basically focus on traditional standard crash scenarios. More integrated crash safety test scenarios and testing methods need to be developed. In this study, a sled test scenario representing a moderate rear-end collision in subsequence of emergency braking was designed and conducted. The bio-fidelity of the BioRID II ATD during the emergency braking phase is preliminarily discussed and validated through comparison with a volunteer test. The final forward out-of-position displacement of the BioRID II ATD falls within the range of volunteer

Fei, Jing, Wang, Peifeng, Qiu, Hang, Liu, Yu, Shen, Jiajie, Cheng, James Chih, Zhou, Qing, Tan, Puyuan

The Influence of out-of-Position Displacement during Emergency Braking on Occupant Whiplash Injury in Subsequent Rear-End Collisions

2025-01-8720

04/01/2025

In the pre-crash emergency braking scenario, the occupant inside the vehicle will move forward due to inertia, deviating from the standard upright seating position for which conventional restraint systems are designed. Previous studies have mainly focused on the influence of out-of-position (OOP) displacement on occupant injuries in frontal collisions, and provided solutions such as active pretensioning seatbelts (APS). But little attention has been paid to the influence of OOP on whiplash injury during a subsequent rear-end collision. To investigate the forward OOP impact on whiplash injuries and the effectiveness of APS in this accident scenario, a vehicle interior model with an active human body model (AHBM) was setup in the MADYMO simulation platform. Different braking strengths (0.8g and 1.1g), APS triggering times (from 0.2s before to 0.2s after the braking initiation) and pretensioning forces (from 100N to 600N) were input to the simulation matrix. The occupant’s forward OOP

Fei, Jing, Qiu, Hang, Wang, Peifeng, Liu, Yu, Cheng, James Chih, Zhou, Qing, Tan, Puyuan

Analyzing EV Battery Package Responses during Side Pole Impacts with Multiple Speeds and Locations

2025-01-8730

04/01/2025

Electric vehicles (EVs) have experienced significant growth, and the battery safety of EVs has drawn increased attention. However, the mechanical responses of battery during crashes have rarely been studied. Hence, the objective of this study was to understand EV battery package mechanics during side-pole crashes at different impact locations and speeds beyond regulated side-pole test with one specific speed and one location. An EV finite element (FE) model with a battery package was used. Side-pole impact simulations were conducted at four impact locations, including the baseline impact location according to side-pole impact regulation, plus three positions by moving the rigid pole 400 mm toward the back of the EV and moving the pole 400 and 800 mm toward the front of the EV. In addition, the impact velocities at 32, 50, and 80 km/h were simulated. Based on simulations, the peak relative displacement, the maximum change in gap between batteries, the maximum change in gap between the

Chen, Jian, Bian, Kewei, Mao, Haojie

Overview of Seat Design Changes and Performance

2025-01-8729

04/01/2025

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to update the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 207. Part of the ANPRM is to assess the merit of conducting quasi static body block seat pull tests and conducting FMVSS 301 rear crash tests at 80 km/h or higher with a 95th percentile ATD lap-shoulder belted in the front seats and limiting seatback deflection to 15 to 25 degrees. Prior to updating regulations, it is important to understand the seating design history and implications. This study was conducted to provide a historical background on seat design and performance using literature and test data. One objective was to first define the terminology used to describe occupant kinematics in rear crashes. Secondly, seat design evolution is then discussed. Third, test methods and test results were summarized, and fourth, the field performance are synopsized and discussed with respect to 2nd row occupant

Parenteau, Chantal, Burnett, Roger, Davidson, Russell

Predicting Head Injury Criterion in Real-World Frontal Impacts

2025-01-8709

04/01/2025

Research on modeling head injury metrics and head acceleration waveforms from real-world collisions has been limited compared to vehicle crash pulses. Prior studies have used rectangular, triangular, polynomial, half-sine, and haversine pulse functions to model vehicle crash pulses and have employed more complex approximations for head injury metrics. This study aimed to develop a method to predict 15 ms Head Injury Criterion (HIC15) in frontal passenger vehicle impacts using these simple pulse functions, where only occupant peak head acceleration and head impact duration are known. Vehicle crash tests from the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) were selected for frontal impacts that included driver occupants. Head acceleration and shoulder belt load channels of Hybrid III 50th percentile male anthropomorphic test devices were collected and separated for training a set of ratios and testing their performance. Rectangular, triangular, quadratic, half-sine, and haversine pulse functions

Westrom, Clyde, Tanczos, Rachel, Adanty, Kevin, Shimada, Sean

Aggregation of Cervical Loads in Rear Impact Crash Tests and Comparison to Activities of Daily Living

2025-01-8708

04/01/2025

Peak upper and lower neck load data from rear impact crash testing were reviewed, aggregated, and analyzed from over 1,800 tests of existing peer-reviewed literature and research as well as available testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Both human volunteers and anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) were subjects of the reviewed studies and testing. Peak upper and lower neck axial forces (compression and tension), sagittal shear forces, and sagittal moments (flexion and extension) from available crash testing were reported and analyzed as functions of measured change in velocity (delta-V) ranging from approximately 3 to 60 km/h (1.9 to 37 mph). This load data was then further analyzed for possible trends amongst various testing conditions, such as seat type, ATD used, and subject seating position within the vehicle chassis and seat to develop a simple linear model. The linear regressions

Kazmierczak, Alex, Umale, Sagar, Visalli, Alyssa, Webb, Ella, Kashdan, Aryeh, Randles, Bryan, Welcher, Judson

High-Speed FCW & AEB Testing of Tesla Model 3's Across Software Updates

2025-01-8695

04/01/2025

A total of 148 tests were conducted to evaluate the Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems in five different Tesla Model 3 vehicles between model years 2018 and 2020 across four calendar years. These tests involved stationary vehicle targets, including a foam Stationary Vehicle Target (SVT), a Deformable Stationary Vehicle Target (DSVT), a live vehicle with brake lights, and a SoftCar360 designed for high-speed impact tests. The evaluations were conducted at speeds of 35, 50, 60, 65, 70, 75, and 80 miles per hour (mph) during both daytime and nighttime conditions and utilized early and medium FCW settings. These settings, part of Tesla's Collision Avoidance AssistTM, modify object detection alerts and the timing of visual and auditory warnings issued to drivers. The 2018 to 2020 vehicles initially utilized cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors (USS) for object detection. Tesla updated their Autoilot software and detection algorithms to a vision

Harrington, Shawn, Nagarajan, Sundar Raman

An Introduction and Evaluation of Apple iOS Device Data for Use in Crash Reconstruction

2025-01-8706

04/01/2025

The integration of mobile device data in accident/crash/collision reconstruction methodologies offers significant potential in analyzing collision events. This study evaluates the utility of iPhone-recorded data, specifically Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position and speed data, along with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) based time and date information associated with application usage and device activity events. By conducting controlled tests, the accuracy, precision, and reliability of iPhone GNSS data were compared against high-accuracy reference systems, including a Racelogic VBox Video HD2 25 Hz GPS data logger and VBox Sport 25 Hz GPS data logger. The synchronicity between recorded app events and device activities with physical events was also analyzed to assess the temporal resolution of the data. Results highlight the strengths and limitations of iPhone data for reconstructing crash events, including potential discrepancies in GNSS accuracy under varying

Burgess, Shanon, Phy, Lance, Levan, Matthew

Path Planning and Following Control of All-Wheel Steering Vehicle with Dual Modular Chassis

2025-01-8793

04/01/2025

A large-scale logistics transport vehicle composed of two skateboard chassis is investigated in this paper. This unmanned vehicle with dual-modular chassis (VDUC) is suitable for transporting varying size of goods. The two chassis can be used jointly or driving separately as needed, which enhancing the reconfigurability of transport vehicle. Considering the road environment uncertainty and the rollover safety problem associated with large transport vehicle, this paper proposes the path planning of VDUC using the Artificial Potential Field(APF)+Model Predictive Control(MPC) while incorporating the rollover stability index. Due to the independent operation of the two modular chassis, based on the hierarchical control approach, the path following controller of the two modular chassis are designed separately according to the vehicle’s planned path. Distributed model predictive control is applied to coordinate the front and rear modular chassis, so it can realize the path following for the

Liu, Zuyang, Shen, Yanhua, Wang, Kaidi, wang, Haoshuai

Machine Learning-Enabled Optimization of Vehicle Restraint Systems – Demonstration in a Real-World Crash Scenario

2025-01-8722

04/01/2025

Vehicle restraint systems, such as seat belts and airbags, play a crucial role in managing crash energy and protecting occupants during vehicle crashes. Designing an effective restraint system for a diverse population is a complex task. This study demonstrates the practical implementation of state-of-the-art Machine Learning (ML) techniques to optimize vehicle restraint systems and improve occupant safety. An ML-based surrogate model was developed using a small Design of Experiments (DOE) dataset from finite element human body model simulations and was employed to optimize a vehicle restraint system. The performance of the ML-optimized restraint system was compared to the baseline design in a real-world crash scenario. The ML-based optimization showed potential for further enhancement in occupant safety over the baseline design, specifically for small-female occupant. The optimized design reduced the joint injury probability for small female passenger from 0.274 to 0.224 in the US NCAP

Lalwala, Mitesh, Lin, Chin-Hsu, Desai, Megha, Rao, Shishir

FIT File Processing for Accident Reconstruction

2025-01-8696

04/01/2025

It is becoming increasingly common for bicyclists to record their rides using specialized bicycle computers and watches, the majority of which save the data they collect using the Flexible and Interoperable Data Transfer (.fit) Protocol. The contents of .fit files are stored in binary and thus not readily accessible to users, so the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the differences induced by several common methods of analyzing .fit files. We used a Garmin Edge 830 bicycle computer with and without a wireless wheel speed sensor to record naturalistic ride data at 1 Hz. The .fit files were downloaded directly from the computer, uploaded to the chosen test platforms - Strava, Garmin Connect, and GoldenCheetah - and then exported to .gpx, .tcx and .csv formats. Those same .fit files were also parsed directly to .csv using the Garmin FIT Software Developer Kit (SDK) FitCSVTool utility. The data in those .csv files (henceforth referred to as “SDK data”) were then either directly

Sweet, David, Bretting, Gerald

Validating the Sun System in 3ds Max for Recreating Shadows

2025-01-8685

04/01/2025

Shadow positions can be useful in determining the time of day that a photograph was taken and determining the position, size, and orientation of an object casting a shadow in a scene. Astronomical equations can predict the location of the sun relative to the earth, and therefore the position of shadows cast by objects, based on the location’s latitude and longitude as well as the date and time. 3D computer software includes these calculations as a part of their built-in sun systems. In this paper, the authors examine the sun system in the 3D modeling software 3ds Max to determine its accuracy for use in accident reconstruction. A parking lot was scanned using a FARO LiDAR scanner to create a point cloud of the environment. A camera was then set up on a tripod at the environment, and photographs were taken at various times throughout the day from the same location. This environment was 3D modeled in 3ds Max based on the point cloud, and the sun system in 3ds Max was configured using the

Barreiro, Evan, Erickson, Michael, Smith, Connor, Carter, Neal, Hashemian, Alireza

Discrepancies between Metadata and Actual Camera Field of View: A Photogrammetric Approach

2025-01-8686

04/01/2025

Camera matching photogrammetry is widely used in the field of accident reconstruction for mapping accident scenes, modeling vehicle damage from post collision photographs, analyzing sight lines, and video tracking. A critical aspect of camera matching photogrammetry is determining the focal length and Field of View (FOV) of the photograph being analyzed. The intent of this research is to analyze the accuracy of the metadata reported focal length and FOV. The FOV from photographs captured by over 20 different cameras of various makes, models, sensor sizes, and focal lengths will be measured using a controlled and repeatable testing methodology. The difference in measured FOV versus reported FOV will be presented and analyzed. This research will provide analysts with a dataset showing the possible error in metadata reported FOV. Analysts should consider the metadata reported FOV as a starting point for photogrammetric analysis and understand that the FOV calculated from the image

Smith, Connor A., Erickson, Michael, Hashemian, Alireza

Solving Vehicle Speed and Acceleration from Video Evidence Using Optimization

2025-01-8683

04/01/2025

Abstract This paper introduces a method to solve the instantaneous speed and acceleration of a vehicle from one or more sources of video evidence by using optimization to determine the best fit speed profile that tracks the measured path of a vehicle through a scene. Mathematical optimization is the process of seeking the variables that drive an objective function to some optimal value, usually a minimum, subject to constraints on the variables. In the video analysis problem, the analyst is seeking a speed profile that tracks measured vehicle positions over time. Measured positions and observations in the video constrain the vehicle’s motion and can be used to determine the vehicle’s instantaneous speed and acceleration. The variables are the vehicle’s initial speed and an unknown number of periods of approximately constant acceleration. Optimization can be used to determine the speed profile that minimizes the total error between the vehicle’s calculated distance traveled at each

Snyder, Sean, Callahan, Michael, Wilhelm, Christopher, Johnk, Chris, Lowi, Alvin, Bretting, Gerald

A Model for the Design of Automated Vehicle Event Data Recorders

2025-01-8678

04/01/2025

When vehicle accidents occur, investigators rely on event data recorders for accident investigations. However current event data recorders do not support accident investigation involving automated or self-driving vehicles when there is state information that needs to be recorded, for example ADS modes, changes in the ODD that the vehicle operates under, and the various states of vehicle features such as intelligent cruise control, automated lane changes, autonomous emergency braking, and others. In this paper, we propose a model to design new types of event data recorders that supports accident investigations involving automated vehicles when there is state information to be recorded. The model is generic enough to be adapted to any automation level and any set of automated vehicle functional features. The model has been instantiated to a specific ADAS system.

Pimentel, Juan

Validation of Pedestrian Collision Reconstruction Using the PC-Crash Multibody Pedestrian Model

2025-01-8681

04/01/2025

This study validates the use of the pedestrian multibody model in the simulation software PC-Crash. If reasonable inputs are used, the pedestrian model will yield accurate simulations of pedestrian collisions, particularly in terms of accurately simulating the contact points between the pedestrian and the vehicle and in predicting the throw distance of the pedestrian. This study extends prior studies of the PC-Crash pedestrian multibody model by simulating additional staged collisions, by comparing the results of the model to widely utilized throw distance equations, by providing guidance on inputs for the pedestrian multibody, and by providing documentation of the characteristics of the multibody pedestrian. In addition, two new staged pedestrian collisions are discussed and simulated. This study demonstrates the following: (1) The center of gravity height of the PC-Crash pedestrian model is comparable to the center of gravity height reported for pedestrians in anthropometric data. (2

Rose, Nathan, Smith, Connor, Carter, Neal, Metanias, Andrew

Active and Passive Security Generalization Algorithm and Typical Case Analysis

2025-01-8744

04/01/2025

In order to effectively predict the vehicle safety performance and reduce the cost of enterprise safety tests, a generalized simulation model for active and passive vehicle safety was proposed. The frontal driver-side collision model under the intervention of the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) was created by using the MADYMO software. The collision acceleration obtained from the sled test was taken as the original input of the model to conduct simulation for the working conditions under different sitting postures of the human body. The injury values of various parts of the Hybrid III 50th dummy were read. Based on the correlation between the two, an active and passive simulation model was established through the Back Propagation (BP) neural network. The input of the model was the inclination angle centered on the dummy's waist, and the output was the acceleration of the dummy's head. The results showed that the comprehensive prediction accuracy rate exceeded 80%. Therefore, the

Ge, Wang, fengyao, LV

A Study on Affections of Active Neck Muscle Force on Neck Injury Responses in Frontal Impact with Automatic Emergency Braking Conditions

2025-01-8742

04/01/2025

Neck injury is one of the most common injuries in traffic accidents, and its severity is closely related to the posture of the occupant at the time of impact. In the current era of smart vehicle, the triggered AEB and the occupant's active muscle force will cause the head and neck to be out of position which has significant affections on the occurrence and severity of neck injury responses. Therefore, it is very important to study the influences of active muscle force on neck injury responses in in frontal impact with Automatic Emergency Braking conditions. Based on the geometric characteristics of human neck muscles in the Zygote Body database, the reasonable neck muscle physical parameters were obtained firstly. Then a neck finite element model (FEM) with active muscles was developed and verified its biofidelity under various impact conditions, such as frontal, side and rear-end impacts. Finally, using the neck FEM with or without active muscle force, a comparative study was

Junpeng, Xu, Gan, Qiuyu, Jiang, Binhui, Zhu, Feng

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS): Assessing the Efficacy of Non-Impact Testing for Evaluating the Performance of Frontal Collision Mitigation Technology

2025-01-8056

04/01/2025

As Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems become standard equipment in more light duty vehicles, the ability to evaluate these systems efficiently is becoming critical to regulatory agencies and manufacturers. A key driver of the practicality of evaluating these systems’ performance is the potential collision between the subject vehicle and test target. AEB performance can depend on vehicle-to-vehicle closing speeds, crash scenarios, and nuanced differences between various situational and environmental factors. Consequently, high speed impacts that may occur while evaluating the performance of an AEB system, as a result of partial or incomplete mitigation by an AEB activation, can cause significant damage to both the test vehicle and equipment, which may be impractical. For tests in which impact with the test target is not acceptable, or as a means of increasing test count, an alternative test termination methodology may be used. One such method constitutes the application of a late

Kuykendal, Michelle, Easter, Casey, Koszegi, Giacomo, Alexander, Ross, Paradiso, Marc, Scally, Sean

CL-infoRRT Collision-Avoidance Trajectory Planning for Autonomous Vehicle

2025-01-8027

04/01/2025

To ensure the safety and stability of road traffic, autonomous vehicles must proactively avoid collisions with traffic participants when driving on public roads. Collision avoidance refers to the process by which autonomous vehicles detect and avoid static and dynamic obstacles on the road, ensuring safe navigation in complex traffic environments. To achieve effective obstacle avoidance, this paper proposes a CL-infoRRT planning algorithm. CL-infoRRT consists of two parts. The first part is the informed RRT algorithm for structured roads, which is used to plan the reference path for obstacle avoidance. The second part is a closed-loop simulation module that incorporates vehicle kinematics to smooth the planned obstacle avoidance reference path, resulting in an executable obstacle avoidance trajectory. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, four static obstacle test scenarios and four RRT comparison algorithms were designed. The implementation results show that all five

Wu, Wei, Lu, Jun, Zeng, Dequan, Yang, Jinwen, Hu, Yiming, Yu, Qin, Wang, Xiaoliang

A Comparison of UAV LiDAR and Terrestrial Laser Scanner Accuracies

2025-01-8694

04/01/2025

The accident reconstruction community frequently uses Terrestrial LiDAR (TLS) to capture accurate 3D images of vehicle accident sites. This paper compares the accuracy, workflow, benefits, and challenges of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) LiDAR, or Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS), to TLS. Two roadways with features relevant to accident reconstruction were selected for testing. ALS missions were conducted at an altitude of 175 feet and a velocity of 4 miles per hour at both sites, followed by 3D scanning using TLS. Survey control points were established to minimize error during cloud-to- cloud TLS registration and to ensure accurate alignment of ALS and TLS point clouds. After data capture, the ALS point cloud was analyzed against the TLS point cloud. Approximately 80% of ALS points were within 1.8 inches of the nearest TLS point, with 64.8% at the rural site and 59.7% at the suburban site within 1.2 inches. These findings indicate that UAV-based LiDAR can achieve comparable accuracy to TLS

Foltz, Steven, Terpstra, Toby, Clarson, Julia

Assessment of Injuries in Rear Impacts

2025-01-8727

04/01/2025

Rear impacts make up a significant portion of crashes in the United States. To date, regulations on rear impacts have focused on fuel system integrity and seat performance, while most research has focused on seat performance in relation to occupants’ injuries, with some analyses of crash severity and seat belt effects. The performance of seats and seat belts may vary depending on the size of the occupant. Understanding how occupant characteristics, as well as crash scenarios, affect injury outcomes can show opportunities for further enhancements in rear impact occupant protection. This paper presents analyses using survey weighted logistic regression models to understand the factors affecting serious injury outcomes (i.e., MAIS 3+) in rear impacts, exploring the potential for improving occupant outcomes. Three separate models are evaluated, focusing on 1) overall injury level, 2) head, neck, and cervical-spine injuries, and 3) thorax, abdomen, thoracic- and lumbar-spine injuries for

Greib, Joshua, Jurkiw, Renee, Kryzaniwskyj, Tanja, Owen, Susan, Van Rooyen, Paul, Whelan, Stacey, Williamson, John

Application of 1.7GPa Martensitic Steel in Dash Lower Cross Member to Enhance Automotive Frontal Impact Safety

2025-01-8218

04/01/2025

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) has led to a significant increase in vehicle mass due to the integration of large and heavy battery systems. This increase in mass has raised concerns about collision energy and the associated risks, particularly in high-speed impacts. As a consequence, crashworthiness evaluations, especially front-impact regulations, have become increasingly stringent. Crash speed between the vehicle and the Mobile Progressive Deformable Barrier (MPDB) is increasing, reflecting the growing emphasis on safety in the automotive industry. Moreover, a new frontal pole crash scenario is under consideration for future regulatory standards, highlighting the continuous evolution of crash testing protocols. To ensure occupant protection and battery safety, manufacturers have traditionally used Hot Blow Forming technology for producing closed-loop dash lower cross member components. However, this process is both costly and energy-intensive, necessitating more

Lee, Jongmin, Kim, Donghyun, Jang, Minho, Kim, Geunho, Seongho, Yoo, Kim, Kyu-Rae

Tube-MPC Based Path Tracking for I Vehicle Considering Data-Driven Stable Region and External Disturbances

2025-01-8262

04/01/2025

Path tracking is a key function of intelligent vehicles, which is the basis for the development and realization of advanced autonomous driving. However, the imprecision of the control model and external disturbances such as wind and sudden road conditions will affect the path tracking effect and even lead to accidents. This paper proposes an intelligent vehicle path tracking strategy based on Tube-MPC and data-driven stable region to enhance vehicle stability and path tracking performance in the presence of external interference. Using BP-NN combined with the state-of-the-art energy valley optimization algorithm, the five eigenvalues of the stable region of the vehicle β−β̇ phase plane are obtained, which are used as constraints for the Tube-MPC controller and converted into quadratic forms for easy calculation. In the calculation of Tube invariant sets, reachable sets are used instead of robust positive invariant sets to reduce the calculation. Simulation results demonstrates that the

Zhang, Haosen, Li, Yihang, Wu, Guangqiang

Decelerations for Vehicles with Anti-Lock Brake Systems (ABS) during Wet-to-Dry Transitions on Asphalt and Concrete Road Surfaces

2025-01-8703

04/01/2025

The braking performance of newer anti-lock braking system (ABS) equipped vehicles on roads with varying wetness levels is not well studied. Two late-model ABS-equipped vehicles were used to perform ABS-engaged braking tests on dry and wet asphalt and concrete surfaces from which vehicle speed and deceleration as a function of time were calculated. Tests were initially conducted on a dry surface before a water truck distributed water onto the road to create a wet road condition. A continuous series of tests were then performed until the road dried and the cycle was repeated multiple times. Across all tests of both vehicles on both road surfaces, deceleration levels generally decreased when the road was wet and returned to dry levels only when less than 25% of the road surface remained wet. Also, wet deceleration levels were high compared to the historical values used for wet roads. These findings provide a useful and readily identifiable boundary between what can be considered a dry and

Miller, Ian, King, David, Siegmund, Gunter

Deceleration Testing on Various Driving Surfaces for Off-Road Vehicle Operation

2025-01-8704

04/01/2025

Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs) also referred to as “side-by-side” vehicles are involved in accidents / crashes due to driver error. This can often be attributed to an operator’s inexperience and failure to differentiate vehicle handling characteristics from that of a traditional automobile. Decelerating testing of ROVs on various surfaces has not been published for these types of vehicles. This work presents test data for use in accident reconstruction and examines the dynamic performance of two exemplar ROVs on various driving surfaces including asphalt, packed dirt, loose gravel and loose, deep sand. Exemplar vehicles, specifically a 4-person “pure-sport” ROV and a single bench utility ROV, are used to gather practical deceleration performance data. Deceleration data comparing tests with fully-locked brakes to tests where the operator manually modulates the brakes to achieve maximum deceleration without brake lockup are also included. The data presented herein is

Swensen, Grant, Warner, Wyatt, Warner, Mark

Dynamic Testing and Analysis of Autocycle Vehicles for Accident Reconstruction

2025-01-8687

04/01/2025

The Autocycle is a style of vehicle that most often utilizes a reverse-tricycle design with two front wheels and a single rear wheel. Modern autocycles in the United States are often utilized in a recreational role. This work presents physical measurements of two modern autocycles for use in accident reconstruction and pursues a deeper understanding of the unique attributes and handling associated with these vehicles. Vehicles were used to measure physical properties and subjected to cornering tests presented herein, and the data is compared to that for a conventional automobile. Observations on tire scuff marks are made from cornering tests unique to these vehicles. Strengths and challenges with this type of vehicle design are presented for various use cases as compared to conventional automobiles. Data and knowledge from this study are published to aid accident reconstruction efforts.

Warner, Wyatt, Swensen, Grant, Warner, Mark

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