The Steering Wheel System Subcommittee of the SAE Automotive Safety Committee was established to formulate recommended practices for test procedures and performance requirements which would be representative of driver impacts against the steering wheel system and its associated components. This subcommittee has formualted a proposed recommended practice for a "Laboratory Test Procedure for Steering Wheel Assemblies" which is currently being circulated to Committee members for letter ballot approval. In this proposed practice, a steering wheel assembly is defined as, "the basic insdie-the- passenger-compartment steering mechanism in combination with its associated horn actuation mechanism, trim hardware, etc., and includes any portion of the steering column assembly that may contain an energy absorber for the purpose of dissipating some of the energy of the driver's chest upon impact."