Applus+ IDIADA says a new methodology to understand occupant behaviour results from combining Human Body Model simulations with pre-crash testing on a driving simulator, correlated with actual data obtained in proving ground tests.
Applus+ IDIADA has developed a validated set of procedures to understand better pre-crash occupant behaviour to assess the impact of ADAS functionalities on occupant protection. This new methodology combines pre-crash testing on both a driving simulator and proving ground and Human Body Model (HBM) simulations.
These new procedures expand the work in the pre-crash and in-crash phases with HBM simulations using active muscle response, which have been correlated with data gathered from a wide variety of occupants in real testing at our own test track facilities. The reason for including a wide variety of users in the study is to properly assess possible differences in occupant behaviour and the extent to which these differences interfere with the overall performance of restraint systems in a pre-crash scenario. Cutting-edge technology has been key in collecting a large amount of data to assess the response of vehicle occupants and to measure instinctive human reactions in a potentially harmful situation.
This new service has been made possible by connecting the expertise of Applus+ IDIADA’s professionals from Passive Safety, Human Factors, Body Development, and using HBM simulations with active musculature.
Data from occupant behaviour, kinematics, and seating positions in pre-crash scenarios has been analysed by Applus+ IDIADA’s Passive Safety team to understand the effect on restraint system performance by combining the know-how from various safety engineering fields.
The Human Factors team has developed a test methodology capable of observing occupants’ kinematics and muscular response just before the collision takes place. This methodology has been validated through tests with real participants in the driving simulator and real vehicles in a controlled environment at Applus+ IDIADA’s Proving Ground in Spain.
From a Body Development perspective, the integrated safety of the restraint systems has been analysed using HBM simulations. Pre-crash scenarios were simulated based on data gathered with real participants, followed by an in-crash safety assessment. The result was a holistic safety assessment of the vehicle’s restraint system.
The development of this methodology will undoubtedly be key to better understanding the influence of Active Safety systems on restraint system performance for occupant protection in the event of a crash and to elaborate effective countermeasures that can be applied to support the development of safer vehicles.
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