Vehicle Safety Research | NHTSA

Vehicle Safety

The Office of Vehicle Safety Research and supports U.S. DOT’s and NHTSA’s safety goals by conducting research and safety testing of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment.

NHTSA’s recently published vehicle safety reports are listed chronologically below.

152 Results

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Vehicle Bumper Performance in Part 581 vs. Pedestrian Leg Protection The objective of this study was to determine if it was possible for a single bumper design to perform well with respect to both pedestrian protection and Part 581 bumper damageability requirements. This possibility was investigated by testing various bumper configurations for a “global platform” vehicle, the Ford Focus, following both the European New Car Assessment Programme Pedestrian Testing Protocol and the CFR 49 Part 581 Bumper Standard. The findings indicated that while there were some differences depending on impact location, the E.U. and U.S. versions performed similarly in both lower and upper legform testing. In Part 581 bumper damageability testing, due to the softer central area and intrusion of the bumper pendulum into the hood, the E.U. version sustained much higher forces and more damage than the U.S. version. While they were much higher than the U.S. version, the E.U. version forces were below Part 581 limits; however, the damage was significant.	DOT HS 812 942
Parameter Study of the OMDB Test Procedure Oblique impact configurations account for a significant amount of real-world accidents. Compared to frontal crashes, these have different occupant kinematics and vehicle intrusion patterns. Consequently, a new oblique impact test is being developed and investigated by NHTSA. For example, offset moving deformable barrier (OMDB) impact velocity and occupant seating position can only be controlled within certain limits. Finite element simulations, consisting of detailed computer models of a vehicle, the OMDB, the THOR crash test dummy, and relevant restraints and interiors were used. Advanced design of experiment methods were applied to determine the importance of parameters and their effect on the vehicle and occupant criteria.	DOT HS 812 845
THOR-50M Durability Report This study evaluates the durability of the THOR-50M in elevated energy qualification tests. The durability baseline tests for each body region were performed according the procedures described in the THOR 50th Percentile Male THOR-50M Qualification Procedures Manual. Baseline tests were run at the qualification speed and the durability tests were performed at speeds corresponding to energy level increases of 10 percent, 20 percent, and 30 percent. A final baseline test was performed at the prescribed standard qualification test velocity. The two baseline tests were compared to determine if deterioration in the components could be detected in the data. To allow for recovery of parts after impacts, the minimum wait time between tests followed the prescribed allowance in the Qualification Procedures Manual.	DOT HS 812 869
Investigation of Potential Design and Performance Criteria for Booster Seats Through Volunteer and Dynamic Testing This report explores candidate booster performance metrics that have the potential to identify less effective booster systems, since current FMVSS No. 213 booster performance requirements can be met without a booster. Volunteer testing of belt fit and posture along with dynamic sled tests of booster seats was used. Posture and belt fit were measured in 24 children 4 to 12 years old, measured in three vehicles and three laboratory seating conditions. Six different booster seats, as well as the no-booster condition, were evaluated. Test conditions were also evaluated using 6YO, 10YO, and small female anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs). Minor posture differences between children and ATDs were greater in the no-booster condition and the two lower backless boosters compared to the four boosters. To provide a more realistic test environment, dynamic testing using a surrogate seat belt retractor on the most recent preliminary design update for the FMVSS No. 213 seat assembly evaluated 11 boosters as well as the no-booster condition, with six tests performed using the Hybrid III 10YO and 33 tests run with the Hybrid III 6YO.	DOT HS 812 919
Investigation of Potential Design and Performance Criteria for Booster Seats Through Volunteer and Dynamic Testing This report explores candidate booster performance metrics that have the potential to identify less effective booster systems, since current FMVSS No. 213 booster performance requirements can be met without a booster. Volunteer testing of belt fit and posture along with dynamic sled tests of booster seats was used. Posture and belt fit were measured in 24 children 4 to 12 years old, measured in three vehicles and three laboratory seating conditions. Six different booster seats, as well as the no-booster condition, were evaluated. Test conditions were also evaluated using 6YO, 10YO, and small female anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs). Minor posture differences between children and ATDs were greater in the no-booster condition and the two lower backless boosters compared to the four boosters. To provide a more realistic test environment, dynamic testing using a surrogate seat belt retractor on the most recent preliminary design update for the FMVSS No. 213 seat assembly evaluated 11 boosters as well as the no-booster condition, with six tests performed using the Hybrid III 10YO and 33 tests run with the Hybrid III 6YO.	DOT HS 812 919
Functional Safety Assessment of a Generic Accelerator Control System with Electronic Throttle Control in Electric Vehicles This report, one of a series of five reports, describes research assessing functional safety of accelerator control systems with electronic faults, such as errant electronic throttle control signals, focusing on errant signals in motor vehicles with electric propulsion. This study follows the concept phase process in the ISO 26262 standard and applies a hazard and operability study, functional failure modes and effects analysis, and systems theoretic process analysis methods. In total, this study identifies 7 vehicle-level safety goals and 202 ACS/ETC system safety requirements (an output of the ISO 26262 and STPA processes). This study uses the results of the analysis to identify potential opportunities to improve the risk assessment approach in the ISO 26262 standard.	HS DOT 812 656
Crash Avoidance Technology Evaluation Using Real-World Crashes This study analyzes the safety benefits of a variety of crash avoidance safety technologies available on GM light-duty vehicles. The study used data on optional safety content from 1.2 million GM vehicles linked to police-reported crash data by Vehicle Identification Numbers to estimate field performance of new safety technologies equipped on the vehicles. In general, the outcomes support the hypothesis that crash avoidance technologies can help drivers mitigate or avoid the types of crashes the systems were designed to address and therefore have overall positive safety benefits.	DOT HS 812 841
Analysis of Pedestrian Injuries by Passenger Vehicle Model Year This study determined if the latest generation of passenger vehicles offer better safety to pedestrians than previous generations. Using NHTSA’s State Data System data sets in 12 States, we compared the proportion of pedestrians who were injured after being struck by later-model-year vehicles (MY2011 – MY2016) with the proportion struck by earlier-model-year vehicles (MY2001 – MY2005), using three injury categories and three vehicle categories. Analyses showed that differences, though sometimes significant, were small and were inconsistent in which model year group was associated with fewer injuries.	DOT HS 812 819
Stranded Energy Assessment Techniques and Tools The report researched, developed, documented, and demonstrated RESS assessment and dis-charge procedures with enabling technology and architecture requirement, including device concepts, which may be commonly integrated into RESS designs for the safe management, removal, and handling of stranded energy of an inoperative RESS. These methods and interfaces should be applicable to both damaged and fully functional RESS systems and should comprehend both the current state-of-the-art as well as probable future directions. Non-operational environments should include service repair, end of life disassembly, vehicle crash scene (minor damage), vehicle crash scene (major damage), fire damage (e.g., garage fire), vehicle towing, and vehicle storage.	DOT HS 812 789
Li-Ion Battery Propagation Trigger Technique Development/ Igniter Development This report describes single-cell thermal runaway initiator activities performed at Sandia National Laboratories looks at novel initiation methods applied to initiate or simulate failure of a single-cell test. As increasingly complex lithium-ion systems are used, concern has arisen surrounding thermal runaway propagation, specifically that a random field failure of a single cell could cause cascading failure of other nearby, otherwise healthy, batteries. Testing was also performed to develop a contained thermite test device. Commercial thermite materials successfully initiated thermal runaway within a single cell. To date no crucibles tested have could fully contain the thermite reaction, making this technique difficult outside of specialized testing laboratories. Ongoing work will make a final determination of the feasibility of a sealed thermite test device. Proof-of-concept testing with a near IR pulse laser was also performed, successfully initiating failure in pouch and cylindrical cells with a minimal energy input.	DOT HS 812 786