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iihs.org

Testing and Evaluating Vehicles and Car SeatsNebraska CPS Tech UpdateApril 19, 2017

Angela Eichelberger, Ph.D.

IIHS is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses — deaths, injuries and property damage — from crashes on the nation’s roads.

HLDI shares this mission by analyzing insurance data representing human and economic losses from crashes and other events related to vehicle ownership.

Both organizations are wholly supported by auto insurers.

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Safer vehicles prevent injuries for occupants of all ages

Our VehicleResearch

Center

Few facilities in the worldare equipped to conduct a similar range of crash testsand research.

Bel Air vs. Malibu crash testIIHS 50th Anniversary

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1959 Chevrolet Bel Air

Intrusioncomparison

2009 Chevrolet Malibu

Front small overlapBegan in 2012

IIHS crashworthiness testsFront moderate overlapBegan in 1995

Side impactBegan in 2003

Head restraints & seats(whiplash mitigation)Began in 2004

Roof strengthBegan in 2009

Rating vehicles

cceptable

P

A

M

G ood

arginal

oor

Structuralperformance

Restraints/dummy kinematics

Injury measures

from dummies

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40 mph moderate overlap front crash test

Frontal crash comparison

Frame rail largely undamaged

Small overlap = majority of crash forces outside main structure

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GOOD rating POOR rating

40 mph small overlap test

Side airbags prevent head, torso and pelvic injuries.Nearly all modern vehicles earn GOOD ratings.

31 mph side testProgram began in 2003

31 mph side testProgram began in 2003

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31 mph side test2013 Chevrolet Malibu: GOOD

2004 Chevrolet Malibu without side airbags: POOR

Roof strength testingProgram began in 2009

Simple test of rollover survivability

2009 Volkswagen TiguanGOOD – 4.4

2008 Kia SportagePOOR – 2.4

Roof strength test2009 Buick Lacrosse: 4.9 – GOOD

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Whiplash accounts for 25% of medical premiums.

10 mph rear impact sled testProgram to evaluate head restraints and seats began in 2005

GOOD rating MARGINAL rating

10 mph rear impact sled test2008 Honda Accord: GOOD

Crash protection ratings by model yearImprovements beginning in 1995

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 20170%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 20170%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 20170%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

moderate overlap front

roof strength small overlap front

side impact head restraints and seats

poor

marginal

acceptable

good

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Ratings reflect injury riskReduction in risk for driver of IIHS GOOD rated vehicles vs. POOR

Moderate overlap frontal – 45% lower fatality risk

Side impact – 70% lower fatality risk

Roof strength – 34% lower fatality risk

Rear impact – 15% lower injury risk

What’s next for vehicle safety?

Our VehicleResearch

Center

A major expansionis complete, extendingour testing capabilitieseven further.

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Rating front crash prevention systemsAutomatic braking tests at 12 mph and 25 mph

First release of headlight ratingsMarch 30, 2016

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Differences in headlight illuminationDeer is 270 feet from front of car

Honda Accord Mercedes C300

Mobile website

�In the field, ratings can be accessed via a smart phone: m.iihs.org

A closer look at the IIHS LATCH ratings

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Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH)

Child restraint with and without misuse

Usability of vehicle LATCH systems

�Identify LATCH characteristics associated with correct use

– Surveyed characteristics of LATCH hardware and rear seat geometry in over 100 model year 2010-13 passenger vehicles

– Laboratory studies of child restraint installations by volunteers

�Validate important LATCH characteristics in real-world sample

– Child restraint installations inspected on arrival at Safe Kids child seat checkups during 2010-12

– Study vehicles were those surveyed in usability studies

�Develop vehicle LATCH rating system

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LATCH ease-of-use criteria

�Lower anchors must have

– Depth in seat bight less than 2 cm (¾ inch)

– Attachment force less than 40 lbs (178 N)

– Clearance angle greater than 54°

�Tether anchors must

– Be located in an easy-to-find location on the rear deck in sedans or middle of the seatback in other vehicle types

– Have no hardware that could be confused for a tether anchoror the tether anchor must be clearly labeled

�If the vehicle has a tether router, it must accommodate the tether router tool passing through

Overall vehicle ratingBased on LATCH hardware required by federal government

vehicle meets all ease-of-use criteria for 2 LATCH positions in 2nd row and 1 additional tether anchor

2 LATCH positions meet most of the criteria

at least 1 LATCH position meets only a couple criteria

at least 1 LATCH position meets only 1 or none of the criteria

GOOD

G

ACCEPTABLE

A

MARGINAL

M

POOR

P

LATCH ease of use ratings improved in 1 year

June 2015

June 2016

G + 0 2

G 3 5

A 43 45

M 44 43

P 10 5

Percent of vehicles with each rating

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2015 Toyota Sienna

Overall P

Built before August 2015

2015 Volkswagen Passat

Overall G

2017 Audi Q7

Overall +G

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Tether anchors in consistent locations and clearly labeledAudi Q7

2015 2017

Better access to lower anchorsLexus RX

2015 2016

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New designs are emergingToyota Prius

2015 2016

What parents and caregivers need to know about IIHS LATCH ratings

�Ratings indicate how easy it is for parents to get a good, tight installation using LATCH

�A good, tight child restraint installation is just as safe in a vehicle with a poor LATCH rating as one with a good rating

�Some LATCH seating positions might be easier to use than others

– www.iihs.org provides information about which seats are equipped with LATCH and how easy the hardware is to use

�Good LATCH ratings mean a good, tight installation is more likely but don’t guarantee it

Improving seat belt fit for children in boosters

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Belt-positioning boosters don’t always fitIIHS has rated boosters since 2008

Poor belt fitLap belt too high on abdomen;

Shoulder belt too low on shoulder

Good belt fitLap belt flat on upper thighs;

Shoulder belt centered on chest, shoulder

Belt fit measurement rigMovable anchorages to match range observed in vehicles

Boosters have improved

24%

12%

32%

32%

2008

Best Bet Good Bet Check Fit Not Recommended

90%

6%4%

2016

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What parents and caregivers need to know about IIHS booster ratings

�Booster ratings provide information on belt fit for typical 4- to 8-year olds in most vehicles

�Best bet and good bet boosters will provide consistently good belt fit in a range of vehicles

�Check fit seats will provide good belt fit in some vehicles but not others

�Not recommended seats do not provide good belt fit in many vehicles

Child passenger vehicle occupant deaths per million childrenBy age,1975-2015

0

20

40

60

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

<1 year

1-3 years

4-8 years

9-12 years

iihs.org

More information and links to our YouTube channeland Twitter feed at iihs.org

Angela Eichelberger, Ph.D.Senior Research Scientistaeichelberger@iihs.org434 985-9248