BREAKING THROUGH ANOTHER IMPACT BARRIER (AUTOMOBILE SIDE IMPACT TESTING)

Since the late 1960's, Renault has advocated the use of moving deformable versus static or moving rigid barriers for side impact testing of automobiles. Renault developed its own deformable barrier in 1972 and has continued to refine the device for a more accurate simulation of an actual car-to-car lateral impact crash, beginning with data collected in Europe from police, emergency, and hospital units. Data analysis demonstrated that laboratory testing procedures do not always reflect actual accident conditions. The static barrier may be used to simulate car-to-stationary barrier impacts, but most side impact collisions involve two cars. To complement its work with the deformable barrier, Renault regularly conducts car-to-car crash tests. Renault also modified the standard 572 dummy used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to give mobility to the thoracic and shoulder areas. Without this increased movement, the standard dummy could not accurately measure side impact forces. To further refine its system, Renault has developed a dynometric buffer, which sits on top of the barrier and measures differences in force along the line of impact as well as the total impact force. By 1984, NHTSA proposes that all vehicle side impact tests must be conducted with moving deformable barriers.