The initial investigations on side collisions were based on analysing the parameter measured on the hit vehicle. The colliding vehicle was, generally speaking, a similar model to the hit vehicle, or was simulated by a stiff, mobile barrier.
Side collisions with vehicles having different characteristics have shown that the parameters relating to the colliding vehicle (stiffness, architecture, mass) affect the injury criteria of the dummies in the hit vehicle.
A systematic study of the relationship between the characteristics of the colliding vehicle and the injury criteria in the hit vehicle has been conducted. A reference collision between two standard production vehicles was conducted. The collision is compared with tests where:
The results of this study will enable the advantages of arranging the colliding vehicle (stiffness - architecture) to be compared with the advantages of arranging the hit vehicle (wall stiffness- lining interior with energy-absorbing materials) which advantages were evaluated in a previous study.