VEHICLE PULSE SHAPE OPTIMIZATION TO IMPROVE OCCUPANT RESPONSE IN FRONT IMPACT. IN: CAE METHODS FOR VEHICLE CRASHWORTHINESS AND OCCUPANT SAFETY, AND SAFETY-CRITICAL SYSTEMS

A new approach is presented in order to improve occupant response in a front impact event. Instead of designing a vehicle structure for maximum structural efficiency and safety and then engineering a restraint system for the vehicle, this paper proposes the use of a systems approach. By this method, the vehicle structural response during impact and the restraint system are considered together in the optimization process. The 35-mph front impact into a rigid barrier with belted occupants, which is the NHTSA NCAP test, is used to demonstrate the proposed new approach.