Citation

Delannoy P, Martin T, Castaing P. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 2005; 2005: 12p.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present demand on self protection and insurance test is increasing the local strength and global force deformation of all cars. Unfortunately, the ratio is not the same, due to the different masses: The design of a large car makes it stiffer than a small one in order to compensate the mass. Furthermore, the current frontal offset test is more severe for heavy vehicles because of the specific barrier used. Due to this self protection trend, compatibility requirements are more and more difficult to achieve. Moreover, it is yet required to improve light car compartment strength without increasing heavy car compartment strength and to limit vehicle front units' aggressiveness. In other words, it is necessary to assess the possibility to check and improve partner protection with regards to self-protection. To achieve this new requirement, an amendment of ECE R94 test procedure, based on progressive deformable barrier (PDB), was proposed in order to check both parts of compatibility (structural interaction - partner and compartment strength - self), and is still being studied. To validate and compare this approach with other offset procedures, many tests have been performed with different cars from the European market (light and heavy, old and new generation, left and right hand drive) in different test configurations (current R94 at 56 km/h, possible future R94 at 60 km/h suggested by EEVC WG16 and PDB protocol at 60 km/h). Based on the tests results, this paper describes in detail: the comparison of different offset barrier tests; the validation of PDB test protocol aiming to check self and partner protection; the possibility to generate constant severity for all cars (same EES); the possibility to change the current frontal barrier; and the possibility to assess partner protection and self protection.