Vehicle compatibility combines aspects of both self and partner protection. Self protection involves a vehicle's compartment strength and occupant protection systems. Partner protection involves vehicle design attributes that work towards providing occupant crash protection of a vehicle's collision partner. Research has suggested that crush force matching (or good engagement of the front structures) and high compartment strength are essential components for improving compatibility between passenger cars and other vehicles [1]. However, recent trends have shown that incompatible force distributions and greater relative front end stiffness are prevalent in the fleet. To research this issue, the Progressive Deformable Barrier (PDB) face was evaluated for its ability to assess the compatibility between the front end force of heavier vehicles with the compartment strength of lighter ones.

The paper investigates the feasibility of a high energy absorption PDB in full frontal and offset frontal crash test configurations. A joint research program was carried out at the Union Technique de l'Automobile du Motocycle et du Cycle (UTAC) in conjunction with the Directorate for Road Traffic and Safety (DSCR) in France and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States (U.S.) to investigate whether barrier deformation using the PDB could differentiate compatibility performances between two different U.S. light trucks and vans (LTVs).