In most countries pedestrians and other vulnerable road users form a significant proportion of all road user casualties. Research has shown that measures to improve car design, to mitigate pedestrian injuries in collisions, can be very effective in reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries. Therefore EEVC Pedestrian Working Groups (WGs 7, 10 and 17) have worked since the 1980’s to produce test methods and criteria. Recently the European Parliament and Council approved a Directive, which reflects the EEVC WG17 test methods (in two stages), to require new cars to provide pedestrian protection.

Most test tools and procedures can be improved, as can be seen for example by the ongoing process of developing new and improved vehicle occupant dummies and their associated test procedures. The IHRA Pedestrian Safety Working Group (with input from EEVC WG17) and others are all contributing to this process by building on, and expanding the current test methods.

This paper discusses the way forward for the next generation of pedestrian test methods. It includes discussion of the options to increase the number of vehicle types and protected areas and to protect at higher speeds. Possible improvements to the test methods and tools, such as adding an upper body mass and flexible bones to the legform impactor, refining the impact conditions, and testing with a combination of dummy and subsystem tests, are also discussed.