INNOVATIVE BODY STRUCTURE FOR THE SELF-PROTECTION OF A SMALL CAR IN A FRONTAL VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE CRASH

Preservation of passenger compartment space during a frontal vehicle-to-vehicle collision is extremely significant for the self-protection of small cars. It is well known that crash speed, mass, stiffness and geometric interaction all have an influence on the intrusion of the passenger compartment in a frontal impact between vehicles. This paper reports on a new enhanced body structure to reduce passenger compartment intrusion in a crash between large and small cars. The test discussed in this report set the crash speed of both cars at 50kph, the mass of the large car at almost twice that of the small car, and the small car overlap at 50%. The proposed innovative body structure for the front end of small cars achieved a previously unavailable level of efficiency of energy absorption and was able to maintain cabin integrity. For the covering abstract see ITRD E825082.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, TRADE AND INDUSTRY OF JAPAN

  1-3-1, KASUMIGASEKI, CHIYODA-KU
  TOKYO,   Japan  100-8901
• Authors:
  • Saito, M
  • GOMI, T
  • TAGUCHI, Y
  • YOSHIMOTO, T
  • SUGIMOTO, T
• Publication Date: 2003-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 8 p.
• Serial:
  • PROCEEDINGS OF 18TH INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENHANCED SAFETY OF VEHICLES, HELD NAGOYA, JAPAN, 19-22 MAY 2003
  • Publisher: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Absorption; Automobiles; Conferences; Crashes; Deformation; Design; Energy; Motor vehicle bodies; Size; Stiffness
• ITRD Terms: 6758: Absorption; 1356: Body (car); 1243: Car; 1631: Collision; 8525: Conference; 5595: Deformation; 9011: Design (overall design); 9014: Dimension; 213: Energy; 5931: Stiffness
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00987262
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 3 2005 12:00AM