The vehicle safety issues of the 1990’s transcend national boundaries. In North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, there is a common desire for the adoption of certain safety technologies in automobiles. This commonality, along with other factors such as the EC 1992 Program, a reduction in trade barriers, the need for efficient resource utilization, and an increase in vehicle safety awareness on an international level, have created opportunities for greater harmonization of vehicle safety standards.
The current status of safety technologies such as air bag supplemental restraint systems, dynamic side impact protection, lighting, light-signalling devices and the potential for unification of design approaches and/or research efforts will be discussed. Further, the extent to which light truck safety issues require different approaches to those for the passenger car will be evaluated.
To resolve these safety issues efficiently requires development of harmonization strategies. Specific harmonization issues and opportunities will be identified including apparent success on vehicle braking harmonization; work required to achieve greater lighting commonization; strategy needed for convergence between Europe and North America on side impact; common worldwide approaches to pedestrian protection; and opportunities for unification of offset barrier crash performance standards.