A validated set of procedures to better understand pre-crash occupant behavior has been developed by Applus+ Idiada to help assess the impact of ADAS functionalities on occupant protection. The methodology combines pre-crash testing – on driving simulators and proving grounds – with human body model (HBM) simulations.
The latest set of procedures is an expansion of the company’s previous work in the pre-crash and in-crash phases with HBM simulations using active muscle response, which have been correlated with data gathered from an array of occupants in real testing at Applus+ Idiada’s test track. A variety of users were included in the study to properly assess possible differences in occupant behavior and the extent to which these differences interfere with the performance of restraint systems in a pre-crash scenario.
Advanced technology enabled Applus+ Idiada to collect a large amount of data to assess the response of vehicle occupants and measure instinctive human reactions in a potentially harmful situation. The latest service was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Idiada’s team in the fields of passive safety, human factors, body development and the use of HBM simulations with active musculature.
Idiada’s passive safety team analyzed data from occupant behavior, kinematics and seating positions in pre-crash scenarios to better understand the effect on restraint system performance by combining expertise from a wide range of safety engineering fields.
The human factors team subsequently developed a test methodology capable of observing occupants’ kinematics and muscular response just before the collision takes place. The latest set of procedures has been validated through tests with real participants in a driving simulator and also with real vehicles in a controlled environment at Idiada’s proving ground in Spain.
From a body development perspective, the integrated safety of the restraint systems has been analyzed using HBM simulations. The team simulated pre-crash scenarios based on data gathered with real participants, followed by an in-crash safety assessment. This resulted in a holistic safety assessment of the vehicle’s restraint system.
Through the development of the methodology, Idiada aims to better understand the influence of active safety systems on restraint system performance for occupant protection in the event of a crash or accident. The process will also enable the company to suggest effective countermeasures that can be applied to support the development of safer vehicles.
