8/31/13 Dr.

KHALIL 1
ME 8020 Crashworthiness and
Occupant Protection in Transportation
Systems-I

Week 2- Lecture 2

Evolution of Passenger Vehicle Safety
and Occupant Protection

September 3, 2013



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Outline
Brief history of safety evolution
Highway design
Crash avoidance
Crashworthiness
Current and future trends
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History of Safety
Before the year 1900, two events are worth noting:
In 1895, the only two cars in Ohio collided
In 1899, the first motor vehicle fatality of a pedestrian
was reported in NY city
After the turn of the century, vehicle safety history can be
grouped into four periods:
Early period - from 1900 to 1935,
Middle period - from 1935 to 1965,
Regulation period - from 1966 to 1990, .....Plus,
Consumer demand period - from 1991 to present .
The early period - genesis and growth
The middle period - realization and attempt to
understand a complex problem
The regulation period - government regulation
following 1966 motor vehicle safety act
The consumer demand period was driven by
mass media and education
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History of Safety
Early Period (1900-1935)
During the period 1900-1910:
Vehicles were few, slow
Steering was crude (adaptation of a wagon)
Brakes were poor
The vehicle was basically a horseless carriage
Car bodies were made of wood
Tires (1908) had no tread
No windshields until 1904
Speedometers on Oldsmobile in 1901
Guide developed the first electric headlamp in 1908
In 1905, a Bill to regulate vehicle operations failed to pass
in congress
In 1908, Toledo and Detroit introduced red and green
semaphore at key intersections, police operated
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History of Safety
Early Period (1900-1935)
Windshield wipers in 1910
Electric starter with a generator-battery-lighting system in
1912 by Cadillac
Detroit introduced road centerline in 1911
In 1912, Budd built an all steel vehicle, open body
In 1914 the concept was adopted by the Dodge brothers
Detroit introduced stop signs in 1914
Cleveland introduced red/green lights
Detroit introduced timed red-yellow-green lights in 1919
Lighted instruments on IP appeared in 1919
Progress continued in
Lighting
Brakes
Tire technology
Windshields
All steel closed bodies
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History of Safety
Early Period(1900-1935)
National Conference on Street and Highway Safety held in
December of 1924
Concern over the growing traffic safety
Experts gathered to address topics such as law, road
engineering and construction, driver education, etc.
For the first time, the road-vehicle-occupant triad
that makes up highway safety was addressed
A committee of 100 members (National Conference of
1926) from the public and private sectors introduced
guidelines to control and regulate the driver, and
pedestrian, as well as the road and vehicle
This attempt at national uniformity of safety regulations
provided guidelines for the states to regulate highway
safety

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History of Safety
Early Period (1900-1935)

So far, the Government was reluctant to get
deeply involved in highway safety
The federal Government established the Highway
Research Board in 1920 to encourage research
and provide information on highway safety.
The industry focused on reliability and durability
by transforming a motorized buggy into
todays modern automobile
Progress was made in vehicle controls,
protection from the elements, crash avoidance,
and a modest level of occupant protection



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History of Safety Early Period
(1900-1935)

Four-wheel hydraulic brakes, 1921
Balloon tires (Firestone), 1922; Standard in 1925
Federal guidelines for road and vehicle safety,
1924
GM opened the industrys first proving ground in
1924
Guide unveils the two-filament head lamp in 1924
First brake test decelerometer at GM in 1924


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History of Safety
Early Period(1900-1935)
Vacuum powered wipers in 1923
Defroster vents in 1924
Electric wipers in 1925
Laminated windshield in 1926
Cadillac used laminated glass all around
Cadillacs first independent front suspension, 1933
GM devised tire blow out test, 1934
GM conducted first barrier test, low speed, 1934
GM introduced first rollover test by running one side of a
car up a ramp at the top of a hill, 1934
Chrysler pushed car off mountain, 1934
First all steel body by Fisher, 1935


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Safety Evolution
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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
Guide developed manually operated turn signals, 1936
GM opens first desert proving grounds, 1936
Windshield washer by Studebaker, 1937
Federal aid Highway act, 1938. feasibility study of 6 interstates
roads
Saginaw Steering developed recirculation ball type steering gear,
1938. Used on 1940 Cadillac
First sealed head lamp, 1939
Chrysler introduced safety padding on seat back, 1937
Recessed IP controls, 1937
Buick introduced front/rear directional signals, 1940
Penn turnpike opened, 1940
Safety rim wheels, 1941
Fisher body introduced vehicles in 1941 with inside door release
handles that will not open if the button is pushed down, 1941

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Vehicle Interior Designs
- Early Technological Innovations -
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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
WW II intervenes
Interest in injury biomechanics began
Gurdjian and Lissner at WSU Head Injury Biomechanics, 1944
Air Force interest in pilot ejection injury and tolerance, 1950
Colonel Stapp sled ride, 1950
Cornell aero lab, 1950
First formal auto crash investigation
Hydraulic snubber, forerunner of the modern sled, to simulate a
crash without actually crashing a vehicle. GM, 1955
UCLA full scale crash test facility, 1950
Instrumented dummies
In 1949, Nash offers seat belts; 80,000 built but only 1000
sold
Electric windows wired to the engine, 1954
Interlocking door locks, 1956


Injury Potential Based on Magnitude and Duration of
Acceleration
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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
Fords first crash test facility, 1954
GMs first crash test facility, 1954
SAE seat belt technical committee, 1954
First Stapp car crash conference, 1955
Black Tuffy for steering wheel testing, 1955
Head form for top of IP evaluation, 1954
In 1956 Ford introduced lifeguard safety
package:

Depressed steering wheel
Shatter resistant rear view mirror
Front and rear lap belts
Padded IP and sunvisor


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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
In 1956 Chevrolet outsold Ford
safety dosntt sell
Chevrolet attempted shoulder belts, 1957
AMC introduced head restraints, 1959
GM PG tests to develop guardrails,1958
GM, three year effort to remove roadside hazards
from PG roads, 1961
GM unveils a concrete bridge rail design to
deflect passenger cars back into the road, 1962

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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
In 1956, Federal Highway Act began interstate
system of roads on a 50/50 Federal-State
matching ratio
In 1956, Congress established Auto Safety
Subcommittee
In 1959, Volvo introduced 3 point lap/shoulder
belts
In 1962, GM introduced the first high speed sled
to simulate actual crash decel. Pulse
In 1962-1963, 23 states passed laws requiring
seat belts in vehicles
In 1964, the industry offered lap belts as standard
equipment on all vehicles

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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)

In 1963 Congress passed a bill regulating federally purchased
vehicles - required:
Seat belts
Padded sun visors and IP
Dual brake systems
Outside rear view mirror
Four way flashers and back up lights
In 1966, The U.S. Government concern over highway
death toll (how many?) led into enacting:
The National Highway Safety Act, concerned with
state and local highway safety programs
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety
Act, concerned with vehicle safety (occupant
protection)

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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
The two agencies became part of a newly created
National Highway Safety Bureau (NHSB),
reporting to Dr. William Haddon.
It proposed 23 motor vehicle safety standards;
later revised to 20
It applied to vehicles built after 1/1/1968
In 1967, NHSB was transferred from the Dept. of
Commerce to the newly created DOT, reporting to
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
In 1967 NHSB issued a set of 13 standards for
states and local communities. It covered things
like vehicle inspection, vehicle registration,
licensing, traffic courts, alcohol traffic records,
EMS, etc.

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History of Safety
Middle Period (1936-1966)
Haddon Matrix
Pre crash Crash Post crash
Environment
(Highway)
Vehicle
Driver
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History of Safety
Regulation Period (1966-1990)
Industry progress in occupant protection
accelerated:
High Penetration Resistant (HPR) glass, 1966
Energy absorbing steering column, 1967
Gadd Severity Index, 1966
Energy absorbing IP
Side impact beams
Energy absorbing front structures
Bias-ply belted tires

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Vehicle Interior Designs

Safety Glass
HPR (High Penetration Resistance)
SAE730968
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Vehicle Interior Designs

EA Steering Column
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FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards)
Legal Requirements (United States) - 1968
! 100 Series Accident Prevention
" Control switches, windshield defrosting, lamps, etc.
! 200 Series Injury Protection
" 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact
" 202 Head Restraints
" 203 Impact Protection (Driver to Steering Control System)
" 204 Steering Control (Rearward Displacement)
" 205 Glazing Materials
" 208 Occupant Crash Protection
" 209 Seat Belt Assemblies
" 212 Windshield Retention
" 213 Child Restraint Systems
" 214 Dynamic Side Impact
" 216 Roof Crush Resistance
" 219 Windshield Zone Intrusion
! 300 Series Post Accident Protection
" 301 Fuel System Integrity
" 302 Flammability of Interior Materials
" Accident Avoidance
(Active Safety)
" Passive safety

" Post Crash
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Production vehicles sold in the
United States must meet safety
requirements as specified in
FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards)
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History of Safety
Regulation Period (1966-1990)

By 1/1/1970 NHSB promulgated 29 vehicle safety standards;
16 relating to pre crash,12 to injury protection, and 1 to post
crash injury prevention
NHTSA was formed in 1970; proposed passive restraints
(air bags) on all cars by 1/1/1972
It required occupant protection in 30 mph barrier test
Industry concern delayed compliance to Aug. 1975
In the interim, seat belt ignition interlock was required for
October 1973
NHTSA also mandated combined lap/shoulder belts for
front seats
In December 1974 congress eliminated ignition interlock
systems

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History of Safety
Regulation Period (1966-1990)
In 1971 Victoria, Australia passed the first mandatory seat
belt law
21 % drop in fatalities noted in the first year
Other states in Australia and Europe soon followed
U.S. Government said the public will not accept it
In 1972 Ford installed RF air bags in 800 demo vehicles
In 1973 GM installed Driver and RF passenger air bags in
1000 demo vehicles
In 1974-1976 MY GM scheduled to build 300,000 vehicles
with air bags. Less than 1000 per year were sold

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History of Safety
Regulation Period (1966-1990)
In 1976 the NHTSA co funded a demo fleet of
500,000 vehicles for 79-80 MY
In 1977, new administration ends demo program
and required air bags by 1982
1970, the NHTSA decided to fund an ESV
program. It asked for non OEMs to bid on
building two vehicles that can pass a 50 mph
barrier test without any restraints. The built cars
were heavy, and did not meet the specs.
The OEMs also decided to modify 4,000 pound
vehicles to the same requirements
In 1974, a 55 mph speed limit on U.S. highways
was mandated. It reduced fatalities

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History of Safety
Regulation Period (1966-1990)
In 1974 Tennessee adopts the first child restraint
use law
In 1976 VW introduced passive restraint
consisting of an automatic shoulder belt and
knee bolster. It met the rule
In 1978 GM introduced a similar system in the
Chevette. It was subsequently followed by the
first continuous lap/shoulder belt system
passive system that was door mounted
In 1981, New administration rescinded the air bag
rule. The safety advocates took the NHTSA to
court. The court reinstated the rule
DOT required automatic protection starting in 87
MY
32
1
St
generation air bags

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History of Safety
Regulation Period (1966-1990)
Interestingly, DOT also said if belt use rises to
67%, there may be no need for passive restraints;
not implemented, however !
In 1986 GM and Honda introduce door mounted
belts that met passive safety rule
In 1986 Mercedes introduced air bags as standard
equipment
In 1989 Lincoln introduced air bags as standard
equipment
In 1987 the NHTSA introduced NCAP
Congress mandated air bags in passenger cars
By the mid 90s. Light trucks by the late 90s.
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Some Safety Features (1955-1990)
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History of Safety
Consumer demand (1991-present)
During the 90s and beyond, OEMs
realized that safety is a competitive issue
Protect the occupant before cost saving
Introduce new crash avoidance measures
such as antilock brakes and daytime
running lights
Consumers do consider vehicle safety
when purchasing a vehicle. safety sells!
NCAP, Consumer Reports
IIHS testing
Magazine testing
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History of Safety
Consumer demand (1991-present)
Global approach to regulation
Cooperation with regulators
High rates of belt use
Certification:
U.S.; self certification by any method, NHTSA
will test at some point. If discrepancy found
they will ask for OEM record of compliance
Europe; Type approval. They test your
provided vehicle; OEM promise not to change
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Roof Crush
1991-present
Analysis and Testing
Frontal Impact
Rear Impact
Car-to-car Impact
Side Impact
Rollover
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Frontal Impact Analysis a two-impact event
The first (primary) impact: the
vehicle strikes a barrier,
causing the front end to crush.
Kinetic energy of the vehicle is
expended in deforming the
vehicles front structure.
The second (secondary) impact:
when the occupant continues to
move forward as a free moving
mass and strikes the vehicle
interior or interacts with or loads
the restraint system.
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Offset Impact
1991-present
Frontal Rigid Barrier Impact
Full Rigid
Barrier Impact
Before
After
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Vehicle Deceleration
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1991- present
Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATD)
Dummy Family
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Occupant Protection Requirements
The restraint system should be
compatible with the vehicle
structure, since occupant
kinematics depends on the exterior
vehicle structure energy
management and restraint system
performance.
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Design parameters affecting
Occupant Protection in Crash
Vehicle parameters:
# Vehicle structural responses
# Interior geometry
# Stiffness of occupant contact surfaces
Restraint system parameters:
# Belt stiffness and geometry
# Airbag shape
# Vent sizes
# Inflator characteristics
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Role of Vehicle Front-end Structures
Absorbs/manages the vehicle crash
energy (through structural
deformation, thus:
Attenuating the impact force to
below tolerance levels in terms of
deceleration of occupant
Maintaining passenger
compartment integrity (i.e.
maintaining adequate survival
space for the occupant)
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Role of the seat belt
Belted vs. Unbelted Occupant Motion in Crash
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Seat Belt History
1885
1922
1949
1955
1968

1970

1975

1979
on- ward

Seat belt used on horse-drawn vehicle to
prevent ejection
Seat belt required in open-cockpit
commercial airplanes
Volvo introduced the first 3 point seat belt
Factory-installed seat belt offered by Ford
FMVSS 208 take effect, requiring seat
belts in all forward facing seating positions
and shoulder straps in front outboard
seating positions
Australia adopts mandatory seat belt use
law
Continuous loop system introduced on
Cadillac Seville
Continued improvement of seat belt
systems
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Advanced Seat Belts
4-point Belt

Inflatable Belt (IB)
IB between dummy and
conventional webbing
IB between conventional
webbings
IB attached to conventional
webbing at both ends
(various configuration
concepts)
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Air Bag A standard supplemental restraint to the
seat belt system for both driver and front seat
passenger protection during a frontal crash.
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Air bags for Side Impact & Rollover Protection

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Trends in Safety Technology
Safety Features Testing Methods Design & Analysis
Process
$ Dr/passenger side
airbags
$ Belt pre-tensioner
$ Accident avoidance
system
$ Improved night vision
$ Integrated child seat
$ Smart airbags
$ Occupant
classification sensor
$ Pre-crash sensing
$ Advanced restraints
$ Inflatable curtains
$ Adaptive structures
$ Offset impact
$ Angle impact
$ Interior head impact
$ Opposite side
$ Vehicle aggressivity/
compatibility tests
$ Pedestrian protection
$ Rollover
-------------------
$ Component test
methods
Increased use of CAE
in:
$ Structure
crashworthiness
$ Occupant simulation
$ Optimization
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Safety Model
Phase 4
In
Crash
IMPACT
Phase 2
Danger
Phase
Phase 1
Normal
Driving
ACTIVE PASSIVE TERTIARY
Phase 3
Crash
Unavoidable
Phase 5
Post
Crash
Active or Primary Safety = Accident Avoidance and/or Crash Severity Reduction

Passive or Secondary Safety = Injury Avoidance and/or Injury Severity Reduction

Tertiary Safety = Avoidance of Post-crash Risks and Ease of Rescue
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Road Users
Come in All Sizes
Compatibility !
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Remarks
Safety has evolved as a marketing tool
(namely safety sells)
Vehicle structures must be designed to
comply with safety regulations
Restraints (seat belts, air bags, and
interior components) must be designed
to comply with human tolerance
Test and CAE will continue to enhance
vehicle safety in an iterative design
process

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Remarks
Some challenges remain:
" reduction of lower extremity injury
" Neck protection in rear impact (mitigating
whiplash injuries/ improved head rest
designs)
" Vehicle compatibility and aggressivity
" Rollover occupant protection
" Pedestrian protection
" Protection of the elderly
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