Modern passenger cars and trucks are designed for the young 50th percentile male and adjustments are provided to accommodate the 5th to 95th percentile occupant. However, the accommodating seating and occupant protection systems are grossly inadequate for the smaller people and the 30% of the U.S. population who are obese as well as those with the diminished muscular strength and increased fragility of age. The same considerations apply to the optional inclusion of driver aids.

Automotive design staffs rarely include professionals over the age of sixty because mass marketing focuses on the young to middle aged population. But the population is aging and life expectancy now reaches to the eighties. Cars can now be purchased with a myriad of options but none include a senior package. Aftermarket sales of sunroofs, electronics, etc., and even limousine conversions are commonplace but no design effort has focused on an occupant protection package for these smaller, aging, older, fragile, obese people. This paper highlights what can be done technically.