Browse Topic: Passive restraint systems

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A study on the injury risk of occupant with different head and neck rotating positions2026-01-0574To be published on 04/07/2026
Drivers obtain road information through head and neck rotation. In order to study the impact of head and neck rotation posture on occupant injury in frontal collision, this paper studies the biomechanical response of occupants with five different head and neck rotation posture under 56 km/h frontal collision based on THUMS human model. Firstly, the kinematic response and head center-of-mass acceleration curves of the dead body and THUMS were compared to verify the validity of the vehicle model. Then, THUMS was adjusted to the standard occupant pose and five different head and neck rotation poses of ±20° and ±40°, and frontal collision simulation was conducted for each of the five poses with or without airbags. The results show that with the increase of head and neck rotation Angle, the risk of neck injury increases while the risk of chest injury decreases. 4 ribs are broken under standard posture, and only 2 ribs are broken when the left rotation of head and neck is 40°. The neck Nij
Li, Dongqiang, jiang, Yejie, Li, Yanyan, Tan, Chun, Jiang, Binhui
Leveraging Machine Learning for Occupant Body Size Estimation via B-Pillar Seatbelt Systems2026-01-0559To be published on 04/07/2026
Occupant body size in vehicles varies significantly, encompassing differences in height, weight, and overall body composition. Adaptive restraint systems, featuring adjustable parameters such as belt load limiters, steering column load limiters and stroke, seat pan stiffness, and airbag pressure, can offer more equitable protection tailored to individual body sizes. In this study, a test rig modeled after the Volvo XC90 was used to collect data from 47 seated participants. Key seatbelt-related parameters, including D-ring angle, belt payout length, lap belt length, and buckle tension, were measured. These measurements were used to train machine learning models to predict occupant characteristics: height, weight, sitting height. The results demonstrate that low-cost sensors embedded in the seatbelt system can provide sufficiently accurate occupant body size estimations to inform adaptive restraint systems. The prediction errors across both training and test datasets were as follows
Wang, Da, Ahmed, Jawwad, Rowe, Mike, Brase, Dan
Numerical Investigation on Thorax Rib Deflections of 50th Male in Vehicle Side Oblique Pole Impact Using Human Body Model2026-01-0566To be published on 04/07/2026
The WorldSID-50M dummy is an advanced side impact dummy that has been adopted extensively in regulatory testing and third party testing such as Euro-NCAP and C-NCAP. However, with increased testing modalities, excessive upper thorax rib deflection was observed in some vehicle side impact tests. It is believed that interaction between arm and thorax rib causes excessive deflection of upper thorax rib in side oblique pole impact with a large side airbag, which has better protection to the shoulders of an occupant. The objectives of the study was as following: (1) Excessive upper thoracic rib deflection of WorldSID-50M dummy are presented in the side oblique pole crash tests while this observation was not found in side impact tests with the barrier. (2) The effect of the interaction between arm and thorax of a 50th male occupant on upper thorax rib deflection was studied using Human Body Models (HBMs). The study indicates that the interaction between arm and thorax ribs has minor effect
Zhou, DY, Chen, Shaopeng, Yan, Li, Wu, Jing, Liu, Chong, Lv, Xiaojiang, Yang, Heping
Effects of Child Anthropometry, Seatback Angle, Seat Rotation Angle, Seatbelt Force Limiting, and Collision Type on Injury Risk of Child Occupants in Highly Automated Vehicles2026-01-0570To be published on 04/07/2026
This study aimed to evaluate the influence of child anthropometry, seat posture (recline and rotation), seatbelt force limiting, and frontal collision scenarios on the kinematic response and injury risk to children in highly automated vehicles. The TUST IBMs 6YO-O model was conducted the frontal collisions in sled tests. This simulation matrix includes five percentiles six-year-old occupants (P3, P25, P50, P75, and P97), three seatback angles (20°, 30°, and 45°), four seat rotation angles (0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°), three seatbelt force limiting (2.6 kN, 3.6 kN, and 4.6 kN), and three collision types. Injury risks were assessed including the child occupant's head, neck, chest/abdomen, and lumbar region in each simulation (n=540). The results indicate that the child anthropometry, the seatback angle, and the seat rotation angle have a significant influence on the motion responses. Statistically significant differences between all the groups within each independent variable category were
Wang, Yanxin, Zhao, Hongqian, Li, Haiyan, He, Lijuan, Cui, Shihai, Lv, Wenle
Determining the Deployment Threshold of Active Head Restraints Through Real World Crashes.2026-01-0533To be published on 04/07/2026
Accident reconstructionists often face the challenge of working with limited information when analyzing a collision. For this reason, every piece of data can be valuable. In this study, we are examining whether the deployment of an active head restraint can provide meaningful insight into the severity of a crash. To do this, the authors will use the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) to identify vehicles involved in collisions where investigators noted the presence of active head restraints and where airbag control module data was available. From these cases, the status of the driver and right-front passenger active head restraints will be determined using the provided photographs. By correlating deployment status with crash severity, this study will estimate the likelihood of active head restraint deployment at varying levels of collision severity.
Fix, Ryan, Rutledge, Bradley
Integrated Evaluation of Pre-Crash Braking and Crash Injury Outcomes Using Human Body Models and ATDs2026-26-00191/16/2026
Traditionally, occupant safety research has centered on passive safety systems such as seatbelts, airbags, and energy-absorbing vehicle structures, all designed under the assumption of a nominal occupant posture at the moment of impact. However, with increasing deployment of active safety technologies such as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), vehicle occupants are exposed to pre-crash decelerations that alter their seated position before the crash. Although AEB mitigates the crash severity, the induced occupant movement leads to out-of-position behavior (OOP), compromising the available survival space phase and effectiveness of passive restraint systems during the crash. Despite these evolving real-world conditions, global regulatory bodies and NCAP programs continue to evaluate pre-crash and crash phases independently, with limited integration. Moreover, traditional Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) such as Hybrid III dummies, although highly
Pendurthi, Chaitanya Sagar, THANIGAIVEL RAJA, T, Kondala, Hareesh, Sudarshan, B.Sudarshan, Nehe, Vaibhav, Rao, Guruprakash
Packaging the HPTS Airbag in a Second-Row Seat2026-26-00331/16/2026
Seats of modern cars should necessarily meet the regulatory safety norms along with aesthetics and comfort. In the existing passenger cars prevailing across the Indian subcontinent, the measure of safety has been a challenging one. The stringent regulatory norms thereby make the Airbag very promising. In the Automotive industry, safety features are very important, one of the topmost features which falls in this category is airbags. The driver and passenger safety during high impact collisions and sudden crashes is the key objective of airbag. This safety is provided by the airbag with its automatic deployment. The inflatable airbag is engineering in a way to respond very quickly during a collision and furnish necessary cushioning to decrease the impulse and enhance the safety of the passenger. The technology has been practiced widely upon many vehicles' seats. However, the present work highlights a novel approach of packaging the HPTS air bag in second row seat. This Air bag unit is
Buradkar, Rajat, Bose, Karthik, Jadhav, Deepika, Balakrishnan, Gangadharan
Achieving Robust Sensing Performance for Six-Airbag Systems: Design Approaches and Validation Techniques for Side Sensing2026-26-00301/16/2026
The proposal of GSR 16(E) in India promotes six airbags in passenger vehicles, aiming to enhance occupant safety. In parallel, the new Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) outlines performance protocols that demand robust airbag deployment strategies to achieve a five-star safety rating. One of the critical challenges in meeting both regulatory and consumer safety expectations is the optimal packaging of the airbag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and its associated impact sensors. These must perform reliably across regulatory tests, BNCAP protocols, and real-world accident scenarios. The location of side acceleration ‘g’ side impact sensors—whether mounted on the side sill, B-pillar, C-pillar, or door structures—is pivotal to achieving consistent and timely side airbag deployment. These sensors must also demonstrate immunity to false triggers or missed events in both static and dynamic misuse and abuse conditions. Ensuring robust sensor performance under these varied conditions is
Kudale, Shailesh, Rao, Guruprakash, wayal, Virendra, Goswami, Tarun
Side Crash Pressure Sensor Response Prediction: CPM Approach2026-26-04131/16/2026
Side crashes are generally hazardous because there is no room for large deformation to protect an occupant from the crash forces. A crucial point in side impacts is the rapid intrusion of the side structure into the passenger compartment which need sufficient space between occupants and door trim to enable a proper unfolding of the side airbag. This problem can be alleviated by using the rising air pressure inside the door as an additional input for crash sensing. With improvements in the crash sensor technology, pressure sensors that detect pressure changes in door cavities have been developed recently for vehicle crash safety applications. The crash pulses recorded by the acceleration based crash sensors usually exhibit high frequency and noisy responses. The data obtained from the pressure sensors exhibit lower frequency and less noisy responses. Due to its ability to discriminate crash severities and allow the restraint devices to deploy earlier, the pressure sensor technology has
Bhagat, Milind, Narale, Naganath, Mahajan, Ashutosh, Wayal, Virendra, Jadhav, Swapnil
Geometrical Assessment of the Curtain Airbag Coverage in Indian Passenger Vehicles2026-26-00211/16/2026
Curtain airbags are the most effective protective systems to prevent severe/fatal head injuries in side collisions with narrow objects such as poles or trees. One of the important parameters of curtain airbags is the inflated zone i.e. the coverage area of the airbag, which decides the extent of head protection for occupants with different anthropometries in different seating rows. EuroNCAP first introduced the concept of Head Protection Device Assessment (HPDA) in 2015., In addition to the performance requirements in the dynamic test, EuroNCAP started assessing the deployed curtain airbag/s for its area coverage and verification of inflated zones for various anthropometries over occupant rows. In India, there is now a near total adoption of curtain airbags as standard fitment by the OEMs. Further, introduction of Bharat NCAP (BNCAP), a Perpendicular Pole Side Impact test is conducted for assessing the effectiveness of curtain airbags in a dynamic test, but currently, does not perform
Jaju, Divyan, Kulkarni, Dileep, Mahajan, Rahul
Safer Trucks for India: Smart Tech Fusion2026-26-00311/16/2026
Commercial vehicle sector (especially trucks) has a major role in economic growth of a nation. With improving infrastructure, increasing number of trucks on roads, accidents are also increasing. As per RASSI (Road Accident Sampling System India) FY2016-23 database, commercial vehicles are involved in 42% of total accidents on Indian roads. Involvement of trucks (N2 & N3) is over 25% of total accidents. Amongst all accident scenarios of N2 &N3, frontal impacts are the most frequent (26%) and causing severe occupant injuries. Today, truck safety development for frontal impact is based on passive safety regulations (viz. front pendulum – AIS029) and basic safety features like seatbelts. In any truck accident, it is challenging rather impossible to manage comprehensive safety only with passive safety systems due to size and weight. Accident prevention becomes imperative in truck safety development due to extremely high energy involved in front impact scenarios. The paper presents a unique
Joshi, Kedar Shrikant, Gadekar, Ganesh, Date, Atul, Koralla, Sivaprasad
Vehicle Electrical Architecture: A Review of Wiring Harness Routing Optimization Strategies2025-36-013012/18/2025
The modern vehicle electrical architecture consists, on average, of 30 integrated electronic modules (ABS, infotainment, instrument panel, etc.), also known as Electronic Control Units (ECUs), and approximately 300 peripherals such as sensors (collision, temperature, oxygen, position, pressure, etc.) and actuators (window motor, mirror motor, relays, airbag inflator, windshield wiper, etc.). This increase in component integration imposes significant challenges to system installation and design. The interconnection of multiple devices renders harness design an arduous and time-consuming task, especially when conducted manually, resulting in error-prone and suboptimal outcomes. Such a scenario highlights the pressing need for studies on harness routing optimization in the automotive industry. Historically, wiring harness design practices have transitioned from manual approaches to the adoption of advanced computational tools. This methodological transition encompasses the use of various
Ribeiro, Thiago, Reis, Breno, Barreto, Zeus, Galeno, Antônio, Pereira, Marcelo, Ferreira, Fláavio Fabrício V. M.
Study on the Sled Test of Far-Side Test and the Influencing Factors of Dummy Damage2025-99-033112/17/2025
The addition of far-side occupants evaluation conditions in C-NCAP2024 version is an important consideration in the development of passive safety in vehicles. This article conducts analysis and research on key points such as test conditions, test results, and influencing factors. Firstly, introduce the test conditions, methods, and protection evaluation of far-side occupants. Secondly, analyze the distribution of factors such as airbag type, armrest height, test waveform, head offset, and dummy damage in the test data. Finally, analyze the influence of five factors, including airbag type, armrest height, test waveform, test conditions, and belt pre-tightening, on the test results. Analysis has found that the WorldSID 50th dummy’s lower neck MX is prone to exceeding high performance limits, compared to single chamber and double chamber airbags, three chamber airbags provide better protection for far-side occupants; For loading waveforms, the probability of the head being in the orange
He, Yonglong, Gu, Haiming, Guo, Xiaotian, Wang, Jingchen
Research and Analysis on Airbag Dangerous Deployment Evaluation Based on 2024 Version C-NCAP2025-99-007310/17/2025
Research on the subjective items of airbag dangerous deployment in the 2024 version of C-NCAP regulations, which includes two aspects: the action of the airbag sweeping over the face and the speed of airbag deployment. This article starts from other aspects. On the one hand, when examining the action of airbags sweeping over the face, it is necessary to consider the acceleration index. Based on the head injury index of the front dummy in collision in C-NCAP, the injury index of face - sweeping risk is defined; On the other hand, the force level of facial injury should also be examined, and the definition and experimental methods should be discussed based on the force level that the head can withstand. Added airbag deployment hazard assessment for the HIII 5 female dummy.
Tian, Wei, Xue, Kaile, Wang, Qinggui
Nonlinear Finite Element Calculation of Ultimate Breakage Load for Pyro-Inflator Housing2025-01-50456/27/2025
Accurate prediction of the ultimate breakage pressure load for pyro-inflator housing is a critical aspect of inflator development. In this study, the tensile test of a specimen, from its initial shape to fracture, is simulated to verify the material properties of the inflator housing. The numerical results demonstrate high accuracy, with the tensile force–displacement curve, maximum tensile force, necking in the concentrated instability zone, fracture location, and inclined angle all closely matching the experimental data. Following material correlation, the ultimate breakage load of the inflator housing under hydrostatic burst test conditions is calculated using an explicit solver. A stress tensor state analysis method is proposed to define the ultimate load based on the onset of plastic instability in the thickness direction at the top center of the inflator. Compared to experimental results, the accuracy of the ultimate breakage pressure prediction using this method is 99.04%, while
Wang, Cheng
The Applications of Acoustic Black Holes to Attenuation of Coach/Bus Frame Structure Vibrations2025-01-00655/5/2025
Basic structures of vehicle frames、aircraft fuselages and ship hulls are made of beams、columns and trusses. If Acoustic Black Holes(ABH) are carefully arranged alongside with the wave propagation paths in those structures, the wave propagation paths could be changed at NVH engineers’ will and the structure vibrations can be reduced. Two kinds of ABHs are used in this paper: one is ABH made of Polyurethane(PU), other one is ABH composed of several steel plate 1D ABH stacked up in parallel. Three structures are used to test the effectiveness of ABHs for vibration reductions: a squared hollow sectional steel commonly used in motorcoach/bus chassis and frame structures, a simple frame for motorcoach airbag suspension and a 12m chassis structure. The attached ABHs show a great vibration attenuation in terms of transfer functions on the basic structure element for a motorcoach. The lateral, vertical and longitudinal transfer functions for steel ABHs were greatly reduced from 13.2~14.7 dB
Xu, Chuanyan, Wang, Jianjun, Xing, Qisen, Chen, Hengbin, Huang, Xianli
USCAR FRONTAL AIRBAG PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONUSCAR52 (Current)4/9/2025
This specification establishes the DV/PV performance and validation requirements for frontal airbag modules, namely driver, passenger, and knee airbags. In cases where airbag designs fall outside the scope of this standard, the Responsible Vehicle Engineering Organization (RVEO) is the final arbiter of all performance requirements within this specification. Additional system level requirements may be introduced by the RVEO but are outside the scope of this specification.
USCAR
Effects of Aging on PVC-Based Instrument Panel Skin for Passenger Airbag Deployment Analysis2025-01-83214/1/2025
Plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has many applications in automotive industry including electrical harnesses, door handles, seat and head rest covers, and instrument panel (IP) and other interior trim. In IP applications, the PVC skin plays a critical role in passenger airbag deployment (PAB) by tearing along the scored edge of the PAB door and allowing the door to open and the airbag to inflate to protect the occupant. As part of the IP, the PVC skin may be exposed to elevated temperatures and ultraviolet (UV) radiation during the years of the vehicle life cycle which can affect the PVC material properties over time and potentially influence the kinematics of the airbag deployment. Chemical and thermal aging of plasticized PVC materials have been studied in the past, yet no information is found on how the aging affects mechanical properties at high rates of loading typical for airbag deployment events. This paper compares mechanical properties of the virgin PVC-based IP skin
G, Karthigan, Savic, Vesna, Ravichandran, Gowrishankar
Analysis of the Event Data Recorder Vehicle System Data of a GM Vehicle Intelligence Platform Airbag Control Module (SDM50)2025-01-87144/1/2025
The primary function of an Airbag Control Module (ACM), referred to as the Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) by General Motors (GM), is to detect crashes, discriminate crashes, evaluate crash severities, deploy the appropriate restraints, including airbags and pretensioners, and perform system diagnostics. A secondary function of the SDM is to act as an Event Data Recorder (EDR) which records data during the time periods just prior to (pre-crash) and during a crash event. This data consists of restraint and vehicle system data which is collected, processed, and stored in the EDR. Data stored in the EDR is intended to be retrieved after a crash. This data provides operational information on the vehicle’s occupant protection system and other vehicle systems to assess system performance, aid in crash reconstruction, and support improved vehicle safety. A series of vehicle test maneuvers were conducted while injecting a non-deployment crash pulse directly into the SDM to cause the SDM to
Smyth, Brian, Crosby, Charles L, Bickhaus, Ryan, Smith, James, Edmunds, Dustin, Floyd, Donald, Modi, Vipul, Outlaw, RaShawndra D., Wright, Jeff
Headliner Design Considerations to Meet Safety and Regulations2025-01-82454/1/2025
Headliners are one of the largest components inside an automobile, stretching from the front windshield to the rear windshield. Besides its aesthetic purpose, it contributes to multiple other purposes like housing different components, helps in NVH, defines the interior roominess, and plays a crucial role in defining the deployment of curtain airbag. The headliner also plays a role in meeting regulatory requirements like upward visibility and headroom requirements of the occupants. During the deployment of curtain airbag, it is important that the headliner-pillar interface aids in the easy opening of airbag, with the least hindrance. This is defined by multiple factors like the location of headliner-pillar interface, its distance from the airbag ramp bracket, the position of the inflator, the mountings of the headliner and pillar trims, to name a few. Also, during the deployment of the airbag, it is important that parts such as grabhandle, speaker grilles, etc which are fitted on the
Sabesan, Arvind Kochi, D., Anantha, Kakani, Phani Kumar
Deployment of Electrically Activated Automotive Airbags for Automobile ReclamationJ1855_202412 (Current)12/10/2024
This SAE Recommended Practice describes the method for safe deployment of airbag modules in vehicles equipped with electrically actuated airbag systems for the purpose of disposal. It is intended to provide a procedure that does not require significant technical expertise, is easy to operate, and is readily available to be used by automobile dismantlers or vehicle shredders to deploy airbag modules prior to automobile reclamation.
Inflatable Restraints Committee
An Intelligent Estimation of Dynamic Vehicle Mass for Electric Vehicle2024-28-022912/5/2024
Dynamic Vehicle mass is one of the most critical parameters in automotive controls such as battery management, transmission shift scheduling, distance-to-empty predictions and most importantly, various active and passive safety systems. This work aims to find out dynamic Vehicle mass for Electric Vehicles in real time transient driving conditions. The work proposes a real-time approach in finding Dynamic vehicle mass where accumulated Energy based vehicle performance, an improvement to the vehicle dynamics equation, has been employed for consistent and accurate results. Factors affecting vehicle mass such as road grade, dynamic friction coefficient, driving pattern, wheel slip etc. have been considered for model optimization. Here recursive Bayesian state estimator has been used for finding vehicle mass as a constant state variable while time varying forgetting factors are used to nullify the impact of major losses. Algorithm is auto tuned using Machine Learning techniques to first
Pandey, Suchit, Sarkar, Prasanta, Sawhney, Chandan, Kondhare, Manish, Joshi, Pawan, CH, Sri Ram
ZF's latest safety advances open up, tighten up and DOUBLE DOWN24AUTP08_028/1/2024
ZF rethinks safety with new airbags, belt tensioner. ZF knows that the steering wheel remains one of the most relevant components in an automotive interior, because this is where drivers have direct contact to the vehicle. As steering wheels become adorned with more functions than some drivers know what to do with, ZF put Marc Schledorn in charge of the teams rethinking how the driver airbag could operate in a world with ever-busier steering wheels. The solution is a new type of steering wheel airbag that ZF Lifetec (ZF's renamed Passive Safety Systems division) announced in June. Instead of moving through a thermoplastic airbag cover mechanically fixed in the center of the wheel, Schledorn told SAE Media, the new design positions the airbag on the top side of the steering wheel and then expands through the upper rim of the wheel when needed.
Blanco, Sebastian
Study of Crew Seat Impact Attenuation System for Indian Manned Space Mission2024-26-04696/1/2024
The descent phase of Indian Manned Space Mission culminates with a crew module impacting at a predetermined site in Indian waters. During water impact, huge loads are experienced by astronauts. This demands an impact attenuation system which can attenuate the impact loads and reduce the acceleration experienced by astronauts to safe levels. Current state of the art impact attenuation systems uses honeycomb core, which is passive and can only be used once (at touchdown impact) during the entire mission. Active and reusable attenuation systems for crew modules are still an unexplored territory. Three configurations of impact attenuators are selected for this study for the crew module configuration, namely, hydraulic damper, hydro-pneumatic damper and airbag systems. All the subsystems are mathematically modelled, and initial sizes are estimated using Genetic Algorithm and SQP optimization techniques. Semi-active control for Hydraulic and Hydro-Pneumatic dampers are implemented and
Avirah, Nohin K, Lakshman, Dasu Deva Karthik, Potnuru, Sai Santhosh, Pramod, Athul P, Kurian, Sabin
Research on Occupant Injury Prediction Method of Vehicle Emergency Call System Based on Machine Learning2024-01-20104/9/2024
The on-board emergency call system with accurate occupant injury prediction can help rescuers deliver more targeted traffic accident rescue and save more lives. We use machine learning methods to establish, train, and validate a number of classification models that can predict occupant injuries (by determining whether the MAIS (Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale) level is greater than 2) based on crash data, and ranked the correlation of some factors affecting vehicle occupant injury levels in accidents. The optimal model was selected by the model prediction accuracy, and the Grid Search method was used to optimize the hyper-parameters for the model. The model is based on 2799 two-vehicle collision accident data from NHTSA CISS (The Crash Investigation Sampling System of NHTSA) traffic accident database.The results show that the model achieves high-precision prediction of occupant injury MAIS level (recall rate 0.8718, AUC(Area under Curve) 0.8579) without excluding vehicle model, and
Huida, Zhang, Liu, Yu, Rui, Yang, Wu, Xiaofan, Fan, Tiqiang, Wan, Xinming
Analysis of the Event Data Recorder (EDR) Function of a GM Active Safety Control Module (EOCM3 LC)2024-01-28884/9/2024
The Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is a comprehensive feature set designed to aid a driver in avoiding or reducing the severity of collisions while operating the vehicle within specified conditions. In General Motors (GM) vehicles, the primary controller for the ADAS is the Active Safety Control Module (ASCM). In the 2013 model year, GM introduced an ASCM utilizing the GM internal nomenclature of External Object Calculation Module (EOCM) in some of their vehicles produced for the North American market. Similar to the Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) utilized in the restraints system, the EOCM3 LC contains an Event Data Recorder (EDR) function to capture and record information surrounding certain ADAS or Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR) events. The ASCM EDR contains information from external object sensors, various chassis and powertrain control modules, and internally calculated data. This event data includes date and time, GPS location, driver inputs and vehicle
Bare, Cleve, Skiera, Jason, Smyth, Brian, Beetham, Tommy, Floyd, Donald, Koo, Winston, Newell, Devin
Side Impact Characteristics in Modern Light Vehicles2024-01-26464/9/2024
Occupant protection in side impacts, in particular for near-side occupants, is a challenge due to the occupant’s close proximity to the impact. Near-side occupants have limited space to ride down the impact. Curtain and side airbags fill the gap between occupant and the side interior. This analysis was conducted to provide insight on the characteristics of side impacts and the relevancy of currently regulated test configurations. For this purpose, 2007-2015 NASS-CDS and 2017-2021 CISS side crash data were analyzed for towed light vehicles. 2008 and newer model year vehicle data was selected to ensure that most vehicles were equipped with side/curtain airbags. The results showed that side impacts accounted for approximately 26.7% of the vehicles involved and 18.9% of the vehicles with at least one seriously injured occupant. Most side impacts involved damage to the front and front-to-center of the vehicle. For seriously injured (MAIS 3+F) occupants, impacts to the occupant compartment
Parenteau, Chantal, Ault, B. Nicholas, Toomey, Daniel, Krishnaswami, Ram, Burnett, Roger
Effects of Anthropometry and Passive Restraint Deployment Timing on Occupant Metrics in Moderate-Severity Offset Frontal Collisions2024-01-27494/9/2024
There are established federal requirements and industry standards for frontal crash testing of motor vehicles. Consistently applied methods support reliability, repeatability, and comparability of performance metrics between tests and platforms. However, real world collisions are rarely identical to standard test protocols. This study examined the effects of occupant anthropometry and passive restraint deployment timing on occupant kinematics and biomechanical loading in a moderate-severity (approximately 30 kph delta-V) offset frontal crash scenario. An offset, front-to-rear vehicle-to-vehicle crash test was performed, and the dynamics of the vehicle experiencing the frontal collision were replicated in a series of three sled tests. Crash test and sled test vehicle kinematics were comparable. A standard or reduced-weight 50th percentile male Hybrid III ATD (H3-50M) or a standard 5th percentile female Hybrid III ATD (H3-5F) was belted in the driver’s seating position. In the crash test
Courtney, Amy, Crosby, Charles, Miller, Bruce, Osterhout, Aaron, Walker, James, Gondek, Jonathon
A Study on Optimizing Headlining Open-Structure for Face-to-Face Roof-Airbag Deployment2024-01-23944/9/2024
In this study, an optimized structure for opening the headlining considering the deployment of the face-to-face roof airbag was studied. It was confirmed that the deployment performance differs depending on the skin of the headlining, and a standardized structure with mass production was proposed. Non-woven fabric and Tricot skin, which are economical and high-end specifications, satisfy the performance of PVC fusion application specifications after cutting 80% of the skin. The structure that satisfies the entire body including the knit specifications is a type that separates the roof airbag area piece, the corresponding soft piece is separated, and the deployment performance is satisfied with safety. Therefore, the structure is proposed as a standardized structure. This structure is expected to be applicable to roof DAB (Driver Airbag), PAB (Passenger Airbag), and Sunroof Airbag, which will be necessary technologies to secure indoor space. Regardless of which area the airbag will be
Park, Jiseob
Analysis of Fluid Evidence on Various Vehicle Components2024-01-24674/9/2024
Determining occupant kinematics in a vehicle crash is essential when understanding injury mechanisms and assessing restraint performance. Identifying contact marks is key to the process. This study was conducted to assess the ability to photodocument the various fluids on different vehicle interior component types and colors with and without the use of ultraviolet (UV) lights. Biological (blood, saliva, sweat and skin), consumable and chemical fluids were applied to vehicle interior components, such as seatbelt webbing, seat and airbag fabrics, roof liner and leather steering wheel. The samples were photodocumented with natural light and UV light (365 nm) exposure immediately after surface application and again 14 days later. The review of the photos indicated that fabric type and color were important factors. The fluids deposits were better visualized on non-porous than porous materials. For example, blood was better documented on curtain airbags than side or driver airbags. Blood and
Boysen, Kevin, Parenteau, Chantal, Toomey, Daniel, Gregg, Richard H.
Art Meets Automotive: Design of a Curve-Adaptive Origami Gripper for Handling Textiles on Non-Planar Mold Surfaces2024-01-25754/9/2024
The handling of flexible components creates a unique problem set for pick and place automation within automotive production processes. Fabrics and woven textiles are examples of flexible components used in car interiors, for air bags, as liners and in carbon-fiber layups. These textiles differ greatly in geometry, featuring complex shapes and internal slits with varying material properties such as drape characteristics, crimp resistance, friction, and fiber weave. Being inherently flexible and deformable makes these materials difficult to handle with traditional rigid grippers. Current solutions employ adhesive, needle-based, and suction strategies, yet these systems prove a higher risk of leaving residue on the material, damaging the weave, or requiring complex assemblies. Pincer-style grippers are suitable for rigid components and offer strong gripping forces, yet inadvertently may damage the fabric, and introduce wrinkles / folded-over edges during the release process. Non-planar
Strelkova, Dora, Urbanic, Ruth Jill
Machine-Learning-Accelerated Simulations for the Design of Airbag Constrained by Obstacles at Rest2023-22-00013/4/2024
Predicting airbag deployment geometries is an important task for airbag and vehicle designers to meet safety standards based on biomechanical injury risk functions. This prediction is also an extraordinarily complex problem given the number of disciplines and their interactions. State-of-the-art airbag deployment geometry simulations (including time history) entail large, computationally expensive numerical methods such as finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), among others. This complexity results in exceptionally large simulation times, making thorough exploration of the design space prohibitive. This paper proposes new parametric simulation models which drastically accelerate airbag deployment geometry predictions while maintaining the accuracy of the airbag deployment geometry at reasonable levels; these models, called herein machine learning (ML)-accelerated models, blend physical system modes with data-driven techniques to accomplish fast
Valenzuela del Rio, Jose E., Lancashire, Richard, Chatrath, Karan, Ritmeijer, Peter, Arvanitis, Elena, Mirabella, Lucia
Event Data Recorder Trigger Probability in the Crash Investigation Sampling System Database2024-01-50272/23/2024
The objective of this study was to quantify the field performance of passenger vehicle event data recorders (EDRs) in recording data into non-volatile memory at the 8 km/h delta-v (Δv) trigger threshold specified by Title 49, Part 563 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Part 563). Part 563 applies to passenger vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2012. The trigger threshold is distinct from the threshold required to deploy an airbag. Events meeting the trigger threshold will cause data to be preserved on the EDR even if airbags are not deployed. This is the first study to quantify EDR trigger threshold performance. This data is valuable in the evaluation of sub-airbag deployment crashes. The study was accomplished via analysis of EDR and reconstructed Δv data from 3,960 cases in the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The binary presence or non-presence of an event on the EDRs of
Watson, Richard A., Bonugli, Enrique, Greenston, Mathew, Santos, Erick, Martinez, Jonathan
Performance of Five-Point Seat Belt on Occupant Safety in Vehicle on Frontal Crash Test2023-01-51692/23/2024
In day-to-day life, accidents do occur frequently all around the globe. It is difficult to prevent these accidents as they occur due to different reasons, which cannot be easily controlled. However, the fatal injuries occurring to passengers can be reduced by installing efficient safety systems in vehicles, which will help in saving the lives of mankind. Many safety systems are being installed in vehicles such as seat belt restraints, airbags, etc. Generally, three-point seat belts are installed in passenger vehicles for safety purposes. This type of seat belt doesn't arrest the entire motion of the occupant's body during vehicle crashes, which can lead to fatal injuries and sometimes even death during vehicle crashes. To buckle passengers with seats, we can use five-point seat belts which will help in mitigating the injuries as compared to three-point seat belts. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of five-point seat belts on occupant safety during vehicle crashes on flat rigid
Vinodh, T., Dineshkumar, C., Jeyakumar, P.D., Muthiya, Solomon Jenoris, Vinayagam, Nadana Kumar, Christu Paul, R., Dhanraj, Joshuva Arockia
RAMP Bracket Angle Optimization Coupled with Improved Head Room2024-26-00161/16/2024
Restraint systems in automotives are inevitable for the safety of passengers. Curtain airbag is one such restraint system in automotives that reduces the risk of injury to passengers during crash, without which head injury is inevitable during side crash of a vehicle. So successful deployment of curtain airbag (henceforth called as CAB) is very important in automotive safety during crash. This paper dwells about the optimization done in ramp bracket angle with successful deployment of curtain airbag. This optimization has paved the way for increasing the head-roominess by ~15% and to respect the safety and styling intent in the vehicle successfully. Providing a ramp bracket at the lower bottom side of CAB guides the airbag successfully during deployment. Ramp bracket angle plays a vital role in guiding the airbag inside the passenger’s cabin without any obstruction. This paper challenges the conventional ramp bracket angle followed for CAB deployment with an alternate angle and has
D, Gowtham, L, Dharshan, Bornare, Harshad, Ritesh, Kakade, Deoli, Manish, Bhaskararao, Pathivada, Gangapuram, Suresh, Kakani, Phani Kumar
Foam and FRP Sheets Packaging for Headliner Stiffness at Curtain Airbag Area2024-26-00081/16/2024
As we all know, automotive headliners are an essential component of any car’s interior as they cover all the internal components and provide a clean and finished look. Headliners not only increase the aesthetic appeal of a car’s interior, but also acts as an insulation and sound absorption source. As per the latest Government norms, Curtain Airbag (henceforth called as CAB) has been made mandatory and this change calls for the corresponding changes in the Headliner packaging of all passenger vehicles. In general, curtain air-bag deployment calls for a twist open of Headliner at lateral sides (a portion below Hinge-line) during the deployment. This enables the inflated airbag to flow inside the passenger cabin to protect the passenger from any injury. Conventionally no components are packaged below the hinge-line area of headliner to avoid obstruction for CAB deployment and any part fly-off concerns. For this reason, no foams/components are kept below the hinge-line region of the
D, Gowtham, L, Dharshan, Bornare, Harshad, Ritesh, Kakade, Deoli, Manish, Vadla, Vilas, Kakani, Phani Kumar
Safer Buses for Passengers and Pedestrians: Crashes and Injury Analyses from Indian and German In-Depth Data2024-26-00041/16/2024
Bus transport is an important element in a sustainable transport strategy. The objective of this study is to understand crashes and injuries involving buses, suggest potential passive-safety interventions, estimate their effectiveness, and compare their effectiveness between Germany and India. Descriptive analysis of crash data from the German In-depth Accident Study (GIDAS) and the Road Accident Sampling System India (RASSI) database was performed in two parts: First, bus passengers and their injuries were analyzed and second, pedestrian injuries in bus-to-pedestrian crashes were analyzed. Lastly, interventions were suggested, and their effectiveness was estimated. Analysis of bus passengers showed that most moderate-to-critical injuries in the GIDAS data were to the head caused by interior bus components. In the RASSI data, head injuries were also frequent, often due to bus interior contact, but also due to ejection and impact to the ground or bus exterior. As many as 31% of all
Ranmal, Aarti, Jeppsson, Hanna, Strandroth, Johan, Lubbe, Nils
Headliner Composition Optimization without Compromising the Safety and Performance2024-26-01901/16/2024
Reducing material wherever there is a possibility in automobile industry is inevitable for weight and cost saving. This paper explains about the possibilities of optimizing the material composition of automotive Headliners (also called as Roof liners) without affecting the performance and safety criteria. In this paper, we are targeting at optimizing the individual constituents of a composite Headliner. A conventional Headliner comprises of many sandwich layers of which PU foam shares the major percentage of the composition contributing to 80% of the Headliner thickness. In this paper, we are discussing about the optimization done in Headliner sandwich constituents without affecting the core performance parameters of headliner such as curtain airbag deployment, ergonomic regulations, drop test etc. By incorporating this change, without significant changes in other layers, overall weight reduction of ~24% and overall cost reduction of ~24% is achieved.
D, Gowtham, Vadla, Vilas, Bhaskararao, Pathivada, Sai, Konduru, Bornare, Harshad, Ritesh, Kakade, Deoli, Manish, Kakani, Phani Kumar
Novel Method for Vehicle Pulse Prediction2024-26-00021/16/2024
Airbags are crucial elements of passive safety in vehicles that help minimizing occupant injuries during various crash scenarios such as frontal, side, and oblique impacts. Airbags in cars are now mandatory in many countries, and their performance depends on how well the system is designed. A well-tuned airbag deployment algorithm is necessary to score superior NCAP safety ratings. Tuning of airbag deployment algorithms requires several data points which are obtained through actual crash testing. This is a cumbersome and expensive process as it involves crash tests for each scenario (e.g., full front barrier, offset deformable barrier, angled impact, etc.) at multiple test speeds. These tests are destructive and render the vehicles only worthy of scrap. The data gathered from various sensors (acceleration, pressure, etc.) is used to develop robust vehicle model specific algorithms that must correctly identify the crash scenario and send airbag firing signal at the optimal pre-decided
Kumar, Ayush
Importance of Pole Side Impact Test for Assessment of Curtain Airbags2024-26-00191/16/2024
Government of India, in 2017, mandated a Side Impact Test (AIS 099 technically aligned to UN ECE Regulation No. 95.03 series of amendments) on M1 category Passenger Vehicles to ensure protection of occupants in lateral impact accident scenarios. Later, in 2022, a draft notification has been issued by the Government mandating installation of 6 airbags (2 Nos of thorax side airbags, 2 Nos of head protection or curtain airbags in addition to already mandated installation of Driver and Passenger Airbags) in all such passenger vehicles. However, the vehicles fitted with side thorax airbag and curtain airbags are proposed to be assessed as per AIS099 test only. Curtain Airbags are typically installed to protect occupant’s head from severe injuries in narrow object impacts simulated in Pole Side Impact Test Configurations. However, at present, India has not notified an equivalent standard to UN R135 demanding performance of the vehicle in pole side impact scenarios. Typically, OEMs may need
Jaju, Divyan, Kulkarni, Dileep, Mahindrakar, Rahul, Mahajan, Rahul
USCAR INFLATOR TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND VALIDATIONUSCAR24-3 (Current)12/12/2023
This specification establishes the performance and validation requirements for the inflator assembly used in airbag modules.
USCAR
Influence of Pre-Crash Vehicle Maneuvers on Front Passenger Safety Performance Response09-11-02-00219/20/2023
Pre-crash vehicle maneuvers are known to affect occupant posture and kinematics, which consequently may influence injury risks during a collision. In this study, the influence of pre-crash vehicle maneuvers on the injury risks of front-seated occupants during a frontal crash was numerically evaluated. A generic buck vehicle model was developed based on a publicly available FE model, which included the vehicle interior and the front passenger airbag (PAB). The pre-crash phase was simulated using specific rigid-body human models with active joints (GHBMCsi-pre models) developed based on exterior shapes of the simplified deformable human model (GHBMCsi) representing a 50th male subject. Two pre-crash maneuvers representing (1) a generic 1g braking and (2) turning-and-braking scenarios were simulated. Then, the kinematics data of belted GHBMCsi-pre models were transferred using a developed switch algorithm to the corresponding GHBMCsi models, which can predict occupant injury risks
Dahiya, Akshay, Untaroiu, Costin
Experimental Assessment of Human and Crash Dummy Skin to Vehicle Air Bag Fabric Coefficients of Friction09-11-03-00149/18/2023
Oblique motor vehicle crashes can cause serious head or brain injuries due to contact with interior vehicle structures even with the deployment of air bags, as they are not yet completely successful in preventing traumatic brain injury. Rotational head velocity is strongly correlated to the risk of brain injury, and this head motion is potentially related to the tangential friction force developed during contact between the head and air bags. Although crash test dummy head skins are designed with appropriate mass properties and anthropometry to simulate the normal direction impact response of the human head, it is not known whether they accurately represent the frictional properties of human skin during air bag interaction. This study experimentally characterized the dynamic friction coefficient between human/dummy skins and air bag fabrics using a pin-on-disc tribometer. Human skin samples were harvested from five locations (left and right forehead, left and right cheek, and chin
Noll, Scott, Dong, Sheng, Kang, Yun-Seok, Bolte, John, Stammen, Jason, Moorhouse, Kevin
Recommended Corrosion Test Methods for Commercial Vehicle ComponentsJ2721_202305 (Current)5/31/2023
This document establishes recommended practices to validate acceptable corrosion performance of metallic components and assemblies used in medium truck, heavy truck, and bus and trailer applications. The focus of the document is methods of accelerated testing and evaluation of results. A variety of test procedures are provided that are appropriate for testing components at various locations on the vehicle. The procedures incorporate cyclic conditions including corrosive chemicals, drying, humidity, and abrasive exposure. These procedures are intended to be effective in evaluating a variety of corrosion mechanisms as listed in Table 1. Test duration may be adjusted to achieve any desired level of exposure. Aggravating conditions such as joint rotation, mechanical stress, and temperature extremes are also considered. This document does not address the chemistry of corrosion or methods of corrosion prevention. For information in these areas, refer to SAE J447 or similar standard.
Truck and Bus Total Vehicle Steering Committee
Characterization and Modeling of Instrument Panel Textile Trim Materials for Passenger Airbag Deployment Analysis2023-01-09304/11/2023
Premium instrument panels (IPs) contain passenger airbag (PAB) systems that are typically comprised of a stiff plastic substrate and a soft ‘skin’ material which are adhesively bonded. During airbag deployment, the skin tears along the scored edges of the door holding the PAB system, the door opens, and the airbag inflates to protect the occupant. To accurately simulate the PAB deployment dynamics during a crash event all components of the instrument panel and the PAB system, including the skin, must be included in the model. It has been recognized that the material characterization and modeling of the skin tearing behavior are critical for predicting the timing and inflation kinematics of the airbag. Even so, limited data exists in the literature for skin material properties at hot and cold temperatures and at the strain rates created during the airbag deployment. This paper presents tensile test results of one typical skin material conducted at four different strain rates of 0.01/s
G, Karthigan, Savic, Vesna, Hu, Sibo, Ravichandran, Gowrishankar, Tripathy, Biswajit
A Study on Estimation Tool of Occupant Injury Risk for Deriving Integrated Safety Scenarios2023-01-06524/11/2023
‘Active safety systems’ are actively being developed to prevent collisions. The integration of ‘active safety systems’ and traditional ‘passive safety systems’ such as seatbelt and airbags is an important issue. The ‘Integrated safety’ performance is that comprehensively controls the performance of ‘active’ and ‘passive’ safety systems to reduce occupant injuries. To develop ‘integrated safety’ performance, it is important to develop crash scenarios for autonomous vehicles. This study is about the development of ‘Estimation Tool of Occupant Injury Risk’ for deriving risk integrated safety scenarios focused on occupant injury. The results of random traffic simulation using ‘Virtual Prototype’ were used to select parameters, and ‘MADYMO Equivalent Simplified Vehicle Crash Analysis Model’ was used to derive F-D characteristics for each vehicle collision condition. The ‘Estimation Tool of Occupant Injury Risk’ was developed through the analysis of occupant injuries using the Hyundai Active
Han, Kwang Cheol, Seo, Bo Pil, Unger, Michiel
ES2re, WS50M, and Human Body Models in Far-Side Pole Impacts2023-01-05584/11/2023
Driver oblique far-side sled impacts were simulated with three surrogates. The EuroSID side impact dummy with rib extension (ES2re), the WorldSID side impact 50th percentile male dummy (WS50M), and the Global Human Body Modeling Consortium’s 50th percentile male human body (GHBM) models. The versions of the surrogates’ models were 7.0, 7.5.1, and 5.0, respectively. Surrogates were seated in the front left driver seat in a virtual generic crossover sled environment. The Finite Element (FE) based environment consisted of a driver seat, a center console, and a passenger seat. Two restraint systems were considered for each surrogate: belt only (BO) and belt plus a generic seat-mounted far-side impact airbag (BB). Surrogates were restrained using a 3-point belt that has a digressive shoulder force load limiter, and retractor, and anchor pretensioners. The far-side airbag used was a 37-liter in volume and has two chambers. Surrogate head excursions and injury indices for each surrogate were
El-Jawahri, Raed E.
Evaluation of Occupant Kinematics and Kinetics during Moderate Severity Simulated Frontal Impacts with and without Frontal Airbag Deployment2023-01-05594/11/2023
Airbag and seat belt pretensioner deployment characteristics depend on multiple factors, such as the magnitude, direction, and rate of vehicle deceleration as detected by vehicle crash sensors and evaluated by vehicle-specific algorithms. Frontal airbag and pretensioner deployments are likely to be commanded during frontal crash events with high initial vehicle deceleration typically associated with high vehicle change in velocity (delta-V). However, within a range of moderate changes in vehicle speeds, referred to as the “gray zone,” a vehicle-specific algorithm may or may not command deployment depending on crash pulse parameters and occupant sensing, among other items. Publicly available testing in the moderate-speed range is lacking and would be useful to evaluate the effects of airbag and pretensioner deployment on occupant kinematics and loading. In this study, sled tests were performed using a standard passenger vehicle buck simulating frontal deceleration impact events in a
Sharpe, Sarah S., Grijalva, Sandra, Allin, Leigh, Courtney, Amy, Toney-Bolger, Megan, Pokutta-Paskaleva, Anastassia, Crosby, Charles L., Carhart, Michael
Modeling of Gas Charging and Discharging for Airbag Suspension System and Control of Height Adjustment2023-01-06604/11/2023
Taking a closed airbag suspension system as studying objects, the nonlinear dynamic model of the reservoir, compressor, solenoid valve, pipeline and air spring is established. The compressor exhaust volume, solenoid valve flow rate and air spring charging and discharging rate are calculated and compared with experiment to validate the model. Taking pressure difference and height adjustment rate under different working conditions of an airbag suspension as control measures, a control strategy is developed based on the established nonlinear dynamic model. The result indicates that when the vehicle is in curb weight, design weight and GVW (gross vehicle weight), the working time of the compressor can be reduced by 13.6%, 15.1% and 46.5%, respectively, compared with the conventional mode, during a height adjustment cycle. Then a state observer is proposed to estimate the steady-height for reducing the disturbance of measured height from road excitation. According to the required height
Deng, Lin, Lv, Hui, Shangguan, Wenbin
Event Data RecorderJ1698_202303 (Current)3/1/2023
This SAE Recommended Practice describes common definitions and operational elements of Event Data Recorders. The SAE J1698 series of documents consists of the following: SAE J1698-1 - Event Data Recorder - Output Data Definition: Provides common data output formats and definitions for a variety of data elements that may be useful for analyzing vehicle crash and crash-like events that meet specified trigger criteria. SAE J1698-2 - Event Data Recorder - Retrieval Tool Protocol: Utilizes existing industry standards to identify a common physical interface and define the protocols necessary to retrieve records stored by light duty vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDRs). SAE J1698-3 - Event Data Recorder - Compliance Assessment: Defines procedures that may be used to validate that relevant EDR output records conform with the reporting requirements specified in Part 563, Table 1 during the course of FMVSS-208, FMVSS-214, and other applicable vehicle level crash testing.
Event Data Recorder Committee
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