Assessment of Passenger Safety in Future Cars

Purpose and goal

The project addresses the research question on how to assess the protection of the heterogeneous population of passengers in future vehicle crashes. Specifically, the project aims to achieve method developments based on enhancement of tools (physical and numerical human substitutes) and to increase knowledge on passenger protection needs with respect to restraint interaction. Car passenger protection challenges, today and tomorrow, require evaluation methods beyond the standardized crash test methods used today.

Expected results and effects

The results, summarized in 32 publications so far, will contribute to the reduction of injuries sustained by car passengers. By studying passengers of today, complemented with prediction studies on future situations of crashes and vehicle interior designs, the results derived are set to contribute to long-term injury reduction. The inclusions of the heterogeneous population and the implementation into advanced tools such as HBMs are essential, reflecting real-world safety in line with Vision Zero ambitions of reducing fatalities and injuries in traffic.

Planned approach and implementation

The project combines multiple competences, a multitude of studies using different methods and international collaboration. The methods include real-world crash data analyses to identify scenarios and situations, human-product interaction user studies, in addition to crash testing and simulation. Furthermore, the project includes evaluation of novel adult crash test dummies and a child-sized Human Body Model (HBM), as well as the development of adult morphed HBMs of various sizes and applying these for investigating protection principles.