Enhancement of side impact protection using an improved test procedure

Several groups of research have been charged to enhance the current European regulatory side impact test procedure (ECE95). The Aprosys project, funded through the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission, proposed in 2006 a new test procedure called AE-MDB (Advanced European Mobile Deformable Barrier) with: (1) an updated barrier face representative of the current European fleet, including SUV; (2) an increase in the mass of the trolley; (3) a shift in the impact point; and (4) the addition of a rear occupant dummy. Questions were raised, and not yet answered, on the added value of this new test procedure with respect to the current one, pointing out the current influence of the AE-MDB face. The purpose of the authors study is to highlight and quantify the extra-severity brought by AE-MDB and its consequences on occupant protection and car design in side impact. This research presents comparative study of ECE95 and AE-MDB procedure thanks to full scale crash tests, component tests but also virtual testing made on several vehicles of different size (small family and large family vehicles as well as MPV). The outcome shows a 30% extra-severity for AEMDB with respect to ECE95 on dummy readings and car deformation. This is not only due to the increase in the trolley weight, but also because of the improvement in the barrier face (geometry and stiffness). It also highlights that vehicle design will be impacted if AE-MDB is chosen for regulation, on restraint systems (rear airbag, belt pretension, better design front airbag…) as well as on structural dimensioning. This new procedure is representative of the last generation of European cars (its severity is clearly ranked between a test against an SUV and a passenger car). Its application on regulation and/or consumer tests will improve the protection in side impact of occupants on the roads.