Citation

Heudorfer B, Kraft M. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 2009; 2009.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although modern vehicles are equipped with multiple restraint systems such as airbags and seatbelts, there would be a further possibility to reduce occupant injury in even the best-pick category vehicles. The protection systems are mainly designed for occupants that are positioned closest to the intrusion. However, side-impact field data show approximately one-quarter to one-third of severely injured occupants sit on the far-side of the vehicle, furthest from the intrusion. This study presents a novel protection system which is placed between the two front passengers to protect them from injuries caused by far-side impacts. The fixation of the performance-added-airbag to the seat is designed in a pivot-like method to ensure a laterally stiff protection element, minimizing the excursion of the occupant's torso and head. The concept is designed to incorporate only minimal changes to existing seat and seatbelt designs. With reference to field data accidents, different impact angles have been sled tested under LINCAP conditions. Results show a high benefit of the proposed Mid- Mount Bag. Keeping the occupants on their own side of the vehicle as much as possible can mitigate many injuries caused by the vis-a-vis interior or by other occupants. The total torso excursion could be reduced by 45% compared to scenarios without adequate far-side protection. With regard to the field data, approx. 70% of MAIS3+ far-side injuries can be avoided by the Mid-Mount Bag. Although installing additional airbag systems will have a cost impact, this impact is balanced by potentially saving numerous lives. The Mid-Mount Bag brings us closer to our dream of having zero victims due to traffic accidents. The full text of this paper may be found at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0295.pdf