Responses of HIII, THOR and SAFER-HBM occupant models in rearward-facing seat configuration for high severity frontal impact

Soni, Anurag<sup>1</sup>; Schilling, Stefan<sup>1</sup>; Faust, Jan<sup>1</sup>; Eickhoff, Burkhard<sup>1</sup>

Rearward-facing seat was proposed as one of the potential seating configurations for highly automated vehicles. The objective of this paper was to understand the responses of existing Anthropometric Test Devices (ATDs) for the rearward-facing seat configuration in full-frontal impact. Therefore, a finite element simulation model of a generic rearward facing seat validated against the test results was utilized. The 50 th percentile male versions of the THOR, the H350 and the SAFER-Human Body Model (SAFER-HBM) were positioned and simulations for rear impact were performed according to FMVSS208 at 56 km/h. Effects of seatback rotational stiffness were also investigated. Based on the results, the THOR response was found closer to the SAFER-HBM in several aspects than H350. While both ATDs matched kinematics and accelerations of the SAFER HBM reasonably well, only THOR and SAFER HBM could capture inertially induced deformation in the chest.

Keywords: Autonomous Driving; Rearward Facing Seat; Vehicle Restraints; H350; THOR; SAFER-HBM; Finite Element Models

Year

Entry

2018

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2017

Jorlöv S, Bohman K, Larsson A. Seating positions and activities in highly automated cars: a qualitative study of future automated driving scenarios. In: Proceedings of the 2017 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 13-15, 2017; Antwerp, Belgium.13-22.

2019

Edwards MA, Brumbelow ML, Trempel RE, Gorjanc TC. Seat design characteristics affecting occupant safety in low- and high-severity rear-impact collisions. In: Proceedings of the 2019 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2019; Florence, Italy.13-31.

2003

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2019