Crash Testing for SafetyPossible Enhancements to ANCAP Protocols

Michael Paine, Technical Manager ANCAP

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World NCAPs1979

1992

1995

1997

1999

The first New Car Assessment Program started in the USA in 1979, partly out of frustration with the slow process of regulating for safer vehicles. NCAP was seen as a way of driving improvements to vehicle safety through consumer demand - by pointing out that some vehicles offered far better protection from serious injury than those which just passed regulation requirements. The USA started out with a regulation full-frontal crash test but with the impact speed raised from 48km/h to 56km/h (resulting impact energy increased by about 36%). Australasian NCAP (ANCAP) was the world!s second NCAP organisation and introduced the same full frontal crash test in 1992. Michael Griffiths, then with the NSW RTA, was instrumental in setting up ANCAP.

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Offset Frontal Crash Test• 40% of front of car contacts a deformable barrier @

64km/h

ANCAP was the first NCAP to introduce the frontal offset crash developed by the European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee (EEVC). The first ANCAP offset crash tests were conducted at 60km/h but this was increased to 64km/h in 1995, when the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) began frontal offset crash tests at this speed. These crash tests proved to be very demanding of vehicle structure but vehicle designs have noticeably improved in recent years.Around this time various groups in Europe were crash testing new cars and, with encouragement from the USA and Australia, a new organisation,Euro NCAP was formed in 1996.

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Side Impact Crash Test• 950kg barrier with deformable face moving @

50km/h strikes driver’s side of car

Vehicles with a seatheight of 700mm ormore are exempt (default 16 awarded)

Euro NCAP decided to carry out the same frontal offset test as ANCAP and IIHS but also introduced this mobile barrier side impact test, based on a new UN ECE Regulation, with the barrier impacting at 50km/h. The first Euro NCAP results were published in 1997.Japan NCAP began conducting full-frontal, offset and side impact crash tests in 1999. Korean NCAP began full-frontal crash tests in the same year. However, Japan and Korea decided to increase the side impact speed to 55km/hIn 2005, after reviewing crash test data, ANCAP decided to award a default score of 16 points for vehicles with high seating positions. These vehicles are already exempt from the side impact regulation and it was found that there was little point in ANCAP conducting this test.

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Pole Impact Test• Vehicle travelling

sideways (eg on trolley) @ 29km/h and strikes a rigid 25cm diameter pole in line with driver’s head

• Only performed if vehicle has a head protecting airbag

• At manufacturer’s expense - but test is under ANCAP’s supervision

Euro NCAP introduced the 29km/h pole test in 2000. This test is optional and is normally funded by the manufacturer. The main incentive is to earn a further two points and a possible increase in star rating. A year later the Renault Laguna earned the first five star rating. ANCAP made the pole test available at this time but the first vehicle to undergo a pole test was the Subaru Forester in 2003 - this was also the first ANCAP five star rating.

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Pole TestsANCAP has conducted these manufacturer-funded pole tests:

Ford Falcon

Holden Epica & Viva

Mazda CX-7

Mitsubishi Lancer

Nissan Maxima

The Subaru range

Toyota Kluger

Falcon sedan

Plus an SUV research program in 2005

These are the vehicles pole tested by ANCAP and funded by manufacturers. ANCAP also conducted a research program in 2005 that demonstrated the high effectiveness of side curtains.

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Modifiers• Points are deducted for excessive steering column and

foot pedal movement, loss of passenger compartment structure, knee hazards, airbag instability and, with side impacts, excessive non-biofidelic loads (backplate and T12 loads). One point deduction for each door that opens during the crash.

The ANCAP scoring system has modifiers that reduce the scores for body regions. The principle of modifiers is that there is an additional risk of serious injury that is not reflected in the dummy injury measurements.

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Star RatingCombines the scores from three tests:16 + 16 + 2 =max of 34 pts

Up to 3 bonus points available for advanced seat belt reminders (giving a max 37 points )

The modified scores for the offset, side impact and optional pole tests are added together to produce a combined score. Bonus points are available for advanced seat belt reminders.

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Star RatingsStar Rating Min. Offset Min. Side Imp Min. O’all#

- - 0.5

1.5 1.5 8.5

4.5 4.5 16.5

8.5 8.5 24.5

12.5 12.5 32.5*# Up to 3 bonus points available for seat belt reminders

* ESC & Pole Test required by ANCAP for 5 stars

An occupant protection star rating is obtained from the overall score. For example, a minimum overall score of 24.5 in required for 4 stars. To ensure that a good score in one test does not disguise a poor score in another, the scoring system applies a point balance where a minimum score is required in each of the offset and side impact tests. For example, a minimum of 8.5 in the offset test is required for 4 stars.ANCAP has the most stringent requirements for 5 stars in the world because, in addition to these minimum scores, it also requires a successful pole test and electronic stability control.

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Pedestrian Tests

ANCAP & Euro NCAP conduct pedestrian protection tests that simulate a pedestrian being struck by the front of the vehicle at 40km/h.

A separate 4 star Pedestrian Protection rating is published

1 Star34%

2 Stars54%

3 Stars11%

4 stars1%

Current ANCAP Pedestrian Ratings

There is room for a great deal of improvement in pedestrian protection

ANCAP & Euro NCAP conduct pedestrian protection tests that simulate a pedestrian being struck by the front of the vehicle at 40km/h.A separate 4 star Pedestrian Protection rating is publishedThere is room for a great deal of improvement in pedestrian protection. Only 12% of models have a star rating of 3 or better

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Changes to Euro NCAP Rating System

Overhaul of the rating system in 2009

New whiplash rating

New “Safety Assist” rating gives scores for seat belt reminders, ESC and “Speed Limitation Devices”

Adult occupant protection rating (%) based on offset, side impact, pole and whiplash results

5 Star Combined Rating based on Adult, Child, Pedestrian & Safety Assist ratings (no more 5 star occupant protection)

From 1999 the ANCAP and Euro NCAP test and assessment protocols have been aligned. However, next year Euro NCAP will be introducing some major changes to its program.

Adult occupant protection rating (%) will be based on offset, side impact, pole and whiplash results

5 Star Combined Rating based on Adult, Child, Pedestrian & Safety Assist ratings (no more 5 star occupant protection)

Last week Euro NCAP that the new 5 star rating would only be available to vehicles with ESC.

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Adult

Occupant

% of 36

16

8

8

4

x 0.5

x 0.5

ADULTCHILD

Child

Occupant

% of 49

PEDESTRIAN

Pedestrian

% of 36

SAFETYASSIST

Seat Belt

Remind

ESC

SpeedLimiter

Safety

Assist

% of Max

x5x2 x1

x1

POSSIBLE EURO NCAP CHANGES

Weightsare under

discussions

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Euro NCAP will be retaining the same crash tests and assessment criteria so ANCAP can continue to republish ratings for local models. No need to change to ANCAP 5-star occupant rating for now

This diagram summarises the Euro NCAP changes

Euro NCAP will be retaining the same crash tests and assessment criteria so ANCAP can continue to republish ratings for local models.

No need to change to ANCAP 5-star occupant rating for now

The “speed limiter” component of safety assist looked promising. However, it turns out that the requirements are based on manually-set speed limiters, such as those that have been available in the Commodore for nearly a decade. There is no incentive for intelligent speed assistance which shows great promise as a road safety measure. I will talk more about ISA this afternoon.

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US NCAP - 2009Adjustments to scoring weights

Oblique side pole impact added

Combined side impact protection rating

Crash avoidance safety feature rating added (but just for ESC, FCW & LDW)

Changes are also proposed for US NCAP

A 32km/h oblique pole test is being introduced. This will be challenging for vehicle structure and airbag systems

The US review is notable for the suggestions that were rejected - frontal offset crash, lower speed full-frontal, higher speed full frontal, rollover protection, rear seat occupants, whiplash, frontal pole, pedestrian protection, compatibility....

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Korean NCAPPedestrian headform tests in 2008

Whiplash rating in 2008

Rollover propensity in 2008 (also set up to perform static roof strength test)

Dynamic brake tests in 2008 (same as JNCAP)

64km/h offset test in 2009. Also looking at pedestrian legform tests

29km/h pole test in 2010

Looking at rear seat occupants

Potential to share test data

Korean NCAP has been operating for several years. It plans to introduce a range of additional tests in the next few years.

There is potential for ANCAP to share test results with Korean NCAP and to encourage Korean car manufacturers to improve crashworthiness.

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Japan NCAP

Pedestrian tests

Rear seat occupants in offset crash test (2009?)

Potential to share test data

Several ANCAP tests have been conducted in Japan under the supervision of Japan NCAP. There is also potential for ANCAP to share test data with JNCAP.

From 2009 JNCAP will be placing a small adult female dummy in the rear seat for the offset test. This is to address concerns about the less advanced restraint systems that are usually fitted to rear seats.

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Occupant Protection in Rollovers

ANCAP monitoring developments in the assessment of rollover protection

An NCAP rating could also encourage relevant safety features such as:

• Inflatable side curtains that deploy and remain in place during a rollover crash

• Seat belt pretensioners that also deploy in rollover crashes

• Improved glazing• Interior head impact protection

Recent research suggest that there is a wide range in the level of protection to vehicle occupants in rollover crashes. There could be a role for NCAPs in pointing out these differences.

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Occupant Protection in Rollovers

Manufacturers conduct full scale rollover crash tests to develop and test restraint systems.

Partial dynamic tests like JRS might not produce necessary triggering signals

Rollover Symposium held in Sydney on 2 October

Much more work needed on dynamic tests

General Motors

Considerable research is being undertaken into the simulation of rollover crashes and occupant protection systems.For example General Motors recently built a $10m facility to conduct a range of rollover crashes. One purpose is to better understand the sensor measurements that can be used to trigger side curtain deployment.Other dynamic tests have been proposed for NCAP testing but it is evident that much more work is needed to enable dynamic tests to be used for this purpose. For credibility, the test and assessment methods need to be as rigourous as those for regulation tests. There will be more on this topic at a workshop on Wednesday.

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Whiplash Protection

RCAR consortium has been conducting geometric and dynamic tests of car seats for several years

ANCAP member NRMA Insurance publishes ratings based on RCAR procedures

Euro NCAP has decided to introduce a whiplash rating based on extra dynamic tests

ANCAP considering options

Euro NCAP is about to publish the first result of its whiplash protection rating based on three dynamic tests.

Between 1996 and 2000 ANCAP published a whiplash rating based on geometric measurements. This was based on protocols developed by the RCAR consortium. NRMA Insurance continued this assessment and introduced an RCAR dynamic test in 2005.

ANCAP recognises the need for a whiplash rating and is considering the options.

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ANCAP Enhancements

Amongst a range of enhancements being considered ANCAP is looking at:Child restraints - usage, vehicle compatibility and dynamic performanceOccupant protection in rollover crashesOccupant protection in rear seatsWhiplash protectionAdvanced technologies

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www.ancap.com.au

More at the workshop on Wednesday!

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