Real‐world occupant protection includes the influence of active safety technologies, such as auto‐ brake systems. This study uses an active human body model (called SAFER A‐HBM) with the capability to simulate emergency braking events prior to a crash event. It is based on a mid‐sized male THUMS human body model, with added active muscles to control spine and extremities for braking.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of the A‐HBM for industrial applications in the development of occupant protection technologies. Specifically, the influence on occupant responses in frontal impacts with a preceding braking event is simulated, including variation in brake‐pulse duration and activation of an electrical reversible seatbelt retractor.

All the simulations followed through to the most important part of the crash phase, enabling a comparison of the occupant responses for the different simulation set‐ups. By adapting its characteristics depending on the sequence of the event, the A‐HBM is shown to be a feasible tool providing input to help guide the auto‐brake performance design. Using it to replicate human performance during the whole sequence of pre‐crash to crash event enables a real‐world, realistic comparison that provides unique possibilities to evaluate active and passive safety technologies together and their interaction.