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Advanced occupant protection systems in motor-vehicles (e.g., seat belts and airbags), while widely adopted for front-seat passengers, are either absent or offer disproportionally lower safety to rear-seat passengers in similar crashes. Optimization of advanced restraint systems for the rear-seat environment will require a detailed understanding of epidemiology and associated risk factors for injuries sustained by rear-seat passengers. Thus, the objective of the study is to use national level motor-vehicle travel and crash data to quantify rear-seat travel exposure, and determine the descriptive characteristics and the injury outcomes for rear-seat passengers involved in frontal collisions., Peer Reviewed, Preprint

A quantitative assay was developed for the direct measurement of polymer film degradation from bacterial colonies on agar plates. Small (1 mm diameter) colonies of Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 (formerly Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf-5) were used for this work. Interactions between the Pf-5 colonies and thin polyurethane (PU) coatings on ZnSe coupons were evaluated for degradation using infrared spectroscopy. Three different coatings were analyzed and were formed from 1) a colloidal, aqueous e based polyester PU (Impranil' DLN); 2) an organic solvent e based polyester PU (Irogran); and 3) an organic solvent e based polyether PU (AS-P108). Over a 24 h time period at 30 C, citrate exposed Pf-5 cultures rapidly degraded Impranil coatings, consistent with analogous zone clearing assays. However, the Irogran and AS-P108 PU's, which are not directly compatible with zone clearing assays, showed no measureable degradation by the coating assay under identical conditions. These results demonstrated the capability to evaluate any variety of polymer formulation as solid films under identical biological conditions. The results also show that rapid microbial degradation of colloidal polyurethanes such as Impranil are not necessarily representative of activity towards other PU materials., Prepared in collaboration with the Chemistry Division, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., and Nova Research, Incorporated, Alexandria, VA. Published in International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, v95 p311-319, 2 Oct 2014. Sponsored in part by AFOSR.

1. The TARDEC GSS Blast Mitigation team is responsible for System level Occupant Centric Safety system integration; 2. Designed systems are to protect the Occupant in Blast, Crash, Roll Over and other Injury Causing events; 3. Reducing occupant injury and decreasing the lethality associated with various threats; 4. Providing a system which can reliably and accurately activate systems such as Air Bags, Pyrotechnic Restraints and other potential emergency signaling systems during events; 5. Further expanding the development of System Level Occupant Protection, Presented to SAE World Congress 2014.

A series of dynamic tests with the Glatz prototype H-60 troop seat was performed to determine occupant protection during a crash event. These were re-tests of the Glatz prototype seat detailed in AFRL-RH-WP-TR-2012-0103. The re-tests were of Combined Vertical tests at which the Glatz prototype seat structurally failed during the initial study due to the manufacturer deviating from design drawings. A Pure Horizontal test was also conducted to determine structural strength of the Glatz prototype seat. Biodynamic response data were compared to standard injury criteria recommended by the Full Spectrum Crashworthiness Report as well as other seats tested at the same conditions. A total of eight tests were conducted. Additional manufacturing errors were found in several of the prototypes. The Glatz prototype seat structurally survived impact conditions at which it failed during the original troop seat comparison testing. Peak lumbar Z forces were higher for the Glatz prototype seat compared to other seats tested, and peak resultant chest accelerations were also generally higher than the other seats. While structurally successful, it appears the seat will require additional modifications to improve energy attenuation capability during a crash event. In the Pure Horizontal test, the seat structurally failed, suggesting that further redesign is necessary., Sponsored in part by Deputy Director, Live Fire (OSD-DOT&E), Washington, D.C.

A series of dynamic impact tests were conducted using H-60A/L helicopter troop seats, a rigid seat, and two different sized manikins in order to determine the efficacy of prototype helicopter passenger airbag restraints. The restraints included the standard H-60A/L restraint and an airbag restraint configuration developed and fabricated specifically for this program by AmSafe. The equipment was tested at three impact orientations, including Combined Vertical, Pure Vertical and Pure Horizontal, and at different acceleration and energy levels ranging from 16-35G. Acceleration, force, and moment data collected on the manikins were compared to standard injury criteria established by the Full Spectrum Crashworthiness Report (Bolukbasi et al, 2011). During initial testing, structural failures of the seat and severe submarining of the manikin were seen which prevented comparison of the airbag restraint and standard restraint. Modifications to the H-60A/L seat hangers, seatpan fabric, and restraint were necessary to allow for the restraints to be compared at the acceleration and energy levels of this program. With the structural improvements, the airbag restraints demonstrated a higher level of protection than the standard restraint when comparing manikin response to the injury criteria used for the study., Prepared in cooperation with Infoscitex Corp.

Prediction of hazard from intense sounds requires that predictive algorithms match the properties of the ear. The existing damage risk criteria do not and, as a result, perform badly. At the very high levels typical of gunfire, the ear has distinctive properties. The primary loss mechanism is mechanical stress within the cochlea. The conductive path exhibits spectral tuning, middle ear muscle attenuation of transmission, and peak limiting of stapes displacements. To deal with these issues, the AHAAH model was developed as a first-principles electroacoustic analog of the ear that matched these properties. It has been peer reviewed and shown to predict hazard to the human ear much more accurately than any other approach. It accommodates HPDs in the analysis, and its theoretical basis assures its generalizability to new impulses. It also has features which allow insight into engineering solutions to problems and promotes better HPD design and use. The model has been used internationally by the armaments community and the SAE, and it is being proposed as an ANSI standard for intense noise exposure. It is available for immediate use as a health hazard assessment tool and a design tool for the military., The original document contains color images. Prepared in colloboration with Auditory Hazard Analysis, Charlestown, MD.

The Auditory Hazard Analysis Algorithm for Humans (AHAAH) calculates the risk to human hearing of impulse noises, such as gunfire or airbag deployment. It achieves this by modeling the effects of the sound pressure wave from the free field, through the middle ear, and into the inner ear. The output of the algorithm is the number of auditory risk units (ARUs) associated with exposure to the given impulse sound. ARUs predict hearing damage; values over 500 ARUs for a 24-h exposure are likely to produce permanent hearing loss. The algorithm is implemented in computer software. This report is a user's manual for the AHAAH software release W93e., The original document contains color images.

Articles in this issue: Reducing Aircraft Combat Casualties; The JASPO Casualty Assessment Initiative; Full Spectrum Crashworthiness Criteria; Crashworthiness--An Army Science and Technology Perspective; DESCENT's Contribution to Rotorcraft Vulnerability Analysis; Excellence in Survivability--Charles E. Frankenberger III; Methodology for Assessing Tri-Service Personnel Casualties; Surviving an Aircraft Crash with Airbag Restraints; Pioneer in Survivability--Walter S. Thompson III, The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white.

The Warheads Group at the U.S. Army ARDEC developed a novel non-energetic RPG protection munition based on automotive airbag technology. This munition dispenses an airbag to impact an RPG causing it to go high order at long standoff causing the shaped charge jet to be ineffective. There are many advantages for this munition, primarily there are no explosions and no high energy fragments dispersed, therefore, no fratricide issues. Dynamic testing has demonstrated that this technology is capable of meeting these requirements., See also ADM002075. Presented at the Army Science Conference (25th) held in Orlando, Florida on 27-30 November 2006. The original document contains color images.

A Cockpit Air Bag System (CABS) is being developed for the UH-60A/L Black Hawk helicopter. Earlier aeromedical evaluations of CABS revealed a potential injury risk associated with the lateral air bag component. An enhanced lateral air bag was developed and a series of 12 deployment tests was conducted. Impulse noise levels ranged from 144.8 dB peak sound pressure level (SPL) to 162.4 dB peak SPL with B-durations up to 172.6 ms. Although each air bag deployment resulted in impulse noise levels exceeding the 140 dB peak SPL limit specified by U.S. Army guidelines, since rotary-wing aircrew and passengers are required to wear hearing protection, no increased risk to hearing is anticipated from a single deployment of the CABS enhanced lateral air bag.

This study was designed to investigate the possibility of physical interaction between the front seat occupants of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and the proposed UH-60 Cockpit Airbag System (CABS). Five large males (80th - 95th percentile in stature), five mid-size males (40th - 55th percentile in stature), and five small females (5th - 30th percentile in stature) served as volunteer subjects. Subjects were outfitted in representative aircrew clothing and equipment and were seated in the cockpit of a CABS-equipped UH-60. The airbags were slowly inflated to a gauge pressure of 2 pounds per square inch. Afterward, subjects were asked to assume positions ranging from a normal flying position to performing reaches to the overhead and center consoles. At each position, measurements were made between the CABS and specified anatomical regions in order to determine the degree of occupant/airbag interaction. Results show the subjects' chests and outboard arms to have the highest probability of interaction with a deploying CABS; outboard arm interaction was greatest in the left crewstation. Anthropometry was observed to have no consistent effect on the results, possibly due to variations in the subjects' crewseat positions.

A Cockpit Airbag System (CABS) is being developed for the UH-60A/L Black Hawk Helicopter. The U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory conducted tests to determine the risks to crewmembers and passengers associated with exposure to high impulse noise levels expected during an inadvertent system deployment. A series of 21 airbag deployment tests were conducted in a static UH-60A helicopter. Peak sound pressure levels ranged from 134 dB to 161 dB. Levels at pilot, copilot, and gunner stations exceeded 140 dB during all 21 deployments. Levels in the passenger compartment exceeded 140 dB during 9 of the 21 deployments. Army policy requires the aircrew in the UH-60 helicopter to wear helmets that provide hearing protection or a combination of helmet and earplugs. Passengers are required to wear protective earplugs or muffs or a combination of muffs and earplugs. This level of hearing protection also meets the requirements for protection against high impulse noise levels created by the deployment of airbags. Therefore, if the required hearing protective devices are worn, the potential of inadvertent deployment of the CABS in the UH-60 helicopter poses no additional risk to the hearing of crew and passengers.

Aviation accidents frequently result in death or injury--occupant flail with resultant head injury is the leading cause of fatality and serious injury in Army helicopter accidents. Inflatable restraints are a proven safety technology in the automotive world, and airbags are being developed for Army helicopters as well. Other applications in transport safety such as inflatable motorcycle helmet collars and inflatable restraint harnesses may be useful in aviation--research is underway in exciting novel areas. There are many questions to be answered before airbags and similar systems can be fielded in aircraft. Hot issues range from the unique characteristics of a helicopter crash pulse to the effects of unintended airbag deployment on injury and aircraft control. Tools useful in this research include computer modeling, anthropometric test devices, cadaver research, and flight simulation/testing. In December 1999, a workshop entitled "Inflatable Restraints in Aviation was held in Huntsville, Alabama, that brought together a multidisciplinary group of world experts in inflatable restraint technology and applications. The workshop was co-sponsored by the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, and The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP), Subgroup U, Technical Panel 7 (Human Factors in Aviation). The emphasis of the meeting was on the potential need for inflatable restraints in aviation, and the special integration and safety problems unique to the aviation environment. The workshop was very well attended, and the scientific presentations excellent.

Two studies were undertaken to assess the effect of inadvertent deployments of a prototype UH-60 cockpit airbag system (CABS) on flight control. In Study One, the effects of inadvertent four-airbag (two forward and two lateral) CABS deployments were investigated; Study Two looked into the effects of inadvertent two-airbag (two forward airbags only) CABS deployments. In both studies, current and qualified UH-60 aviators were recruited to fly 1-hour sorties in an NUH-60 research flight simulator. Simulated inadvertent CABS deployments were introduced into these sorties during six predetermined flight maneuvers. The simulated deployments included uncommanded cyclic and collective motions, obstruction of the forward and lateral viewscreens, obstruction of the instrument panel, and an audible cue (used to crudely mimic airbag deployment noise). Data were collected on the probability of crashing, the time to recover from, or to crash as a result of, each simulated deployment, as well as on the severity of each simulated deployment as perceived by the test subjects, simulator operator, and simulator observer. Results show flight control to be more adversely affected by inadvertent deployment of the four-airbag CABS, particularly during high-speed, low-level flight.

The U.S. Army currently uses paper honeycomb material to both dissipate the ground impact energy and to cushion parachute delivered airdropped payload from damage. This report documents exploring the use of pressurized airbags with passively controlled exhaust vents as a means to mitigate ground impact landing shock. The results of both computational and experimental research that examined the performance of passively controlled venting candidates are presented. The venting candidates studied consisted of two different linear spring check valve designs, a magnetostatic check valve design, along with two precision release blowout vents configured using a four pole magnetic valve seat design.

In this study, a nonlinear finite element method was applied to the simulation of airbag deployment and contact with a solid body in a crash situation. A finite element model of the folded airbag was modified and the forces generated by an unfolding airbag during its impact with a rigid wall were investigated using DYNA-3D code. The finite element model was verified by comparing results with those reported in the verification of PAM-CVS code which couples the PAM-CRASH finite element code with the crash victim simulator CAL3D. Having verified the finite element model, the effect of airbag parameters on the acceleration of a rigid sphere resulting from contact with an inflating airbag was investigated. The parameters considered were fabric density, bag elasticity, input gas temperature and extent of venting. The influence of these parameters on the contact was significant: lowering the fabric density resulted in higher bag velocity which in turn resulted in higher rebound velocity; the lower the input gas temperature, the longer was the contact time and the lower rebound velocity. The acceleration and rebound velocity had an inverse relationship with vent area. These observations with additional studies could be used in the development of better occupant safety systems.

Inflatable restraints such as airbags are being designed for military helicopters. To investigate the potential for extremity injury during airbag deployment, 1-hour videotapes of 12 U.S. Army Black Hawk pilots flying a training simulator were reviewed. The flights were unmodified training sorties and consisted of instrument and visual flight over varying terrain. Every time the aviator appeared to move outside the resting "flight" position, the nature and destination of the movement were recorded. The total proportion of time spent reaching for various control consoles ranged from 1.8 percent to 5.2 percent. Copilots in instrument flight conditions spent the greatest proportion of their time reaching, and pilots in visual flight conditions spent the least. Despite limitation to this brief retrospective simulator study, these results will be useful in estimating the risk of extremity injuries related to helicopter airbag deployment.

In this study, a nonlinear finite element method was applied to the simulation of airbag deployment and contact with a solid body in a crash situation. A finite element model of the folded airbag was modified and the forces generated by an unfolding airbag during its impact with a rigid wall were investigated using DYNA-3D code. The finite element model was verified by comparing results with those reported in the verification of PAM-CVS code which couples the PAM-CRASH finite element code with the crash victim simulator CAL3D. Having verified the finite element model, the effect of airbag parameters on the acceleration of a rigid sphere resulting from contact with an inflating airbag was investigated. The parameters considered were fabric density, bag elasticity, input gas temperature and extent of venting. The influence of these parameters on the contact was significant: lowering the fabric density resulted in higher bag velocity which in turn resulted in higher rebound velocity; the lower the input gas temperature, the longer was the contact time and the lower rebound velocity. The acceleration and rebound velocity had an inverse relationship with vent area. These observations with additional studies could be used in the development of better occupant safety systems.

Air-bag technology relies on woven fabrics as the material of construction. Knowledge pertaining to the fabric's permeabihty as a function of pressure drop and inflating gas temperature under biaxial stretching condhions is crucial from an energy dissipation point of view. An expansible fabric, stretched biaxially, wiU open up and bbecome more permeable. The extent to which fabric porosity changes with temperature, pressure drop, the source of fiber used in the fabric, fabric weave, fabric finish and fabric denier is impossible to determine a priori. In this regard, it is the material properties of the fabric which significantly contribute to the safety of the vehicle occupant as he/she interacts with the deployed airbag. In order to quantify fabric characteristics and airbag behavior, a novel blisterinflation technique was developed to deform a fabric biaxially. At least three different types of polymeric fabrics woven from nylon 66, nylon 6 and high strength polyester fibers with various construction and finish were investigated in this study. The biaxial deformation of fabrics are modeled with non-linear finite element (FEA) based approach with the assumption of continuity. The latter assumption is highly questionable. Moreover, these models fail to adequately mcorporate the effects of temperature and pressure drop on deformation. In this study, a more rehable fabric-material response model (FMRM) for biaxial deformation was developed based on the semi-empirical approach called artificial neural networks. With respect to airbag behavior, four different mechanisms for overall energy dissipation were modeled. This approach was based on the kinetic energy considerations which arise when the occupant interacts with the airbag (KEAM). The KEAM model highlights the various energy adsorption mechanisms and defines potential synergistic roles they play on energy dissipation. Finally, energy dissipation of an airbag made from a particular fabric was related to the propert

Accident investigation records of U.S. Army helicopter crashes show injuries of pilots due to striking a structure inside the cockpit outnumber those due to excessive accelerations by a five-to-one ratio. This two-volume report presents the results of a study of the effectiveness of airbags in reducing the severity of contact injury to the gunner when striking the gunsight. Airbag systems were installed on the gunsights in simulated Cobra and Apache cockpits, then sled tested at 7 and 25 g. The tests indicated airbags reduced head accelerations by 65 percent, head injury criteria by 77 percent, and head angular acceleration by 76 percent in the Cobra tests. In the Apache tests, the airbags reduced those same indicators by 68, 52, and 83 percent. An airbag system, the report concludes, is likely to prevent severe or fatal head and chest injuries in an Apache or Cobra crash. Volume 1 of the report describes the tests and discusses the results. Volume 2 consists of Appendixes A, B, and C of the report and contains processed signal graphs of all sled tests., See also Volume 1, ADA233349.

Research studies are abstracted relative to anthropometric measurements for use in designing military and civilian protective equipment and clothing, automobile interiors and air bag restraint systems, aircraft cabins, and aircraft seats. In addition, reports are cited on design of anatomical models, computerized simulation of the human body, and anthropometry as related to the strength of body members and physical fitness. (This updated bibliography contains 73 abstracts, 20 of which are new entries to the previous edition.), Supersedes NTIS/PS-77/0757, NTIS/PS-76/0679, and NTIS/PS-75/0629. See also Volume 1, 1964-1975, NTIS/PS-77/0756.

Research studies are abstracted relative to anthropometric measurements for use in designing military and civilian protective equipment and clothing, automobile interiors and air bag restraint systems, aircraft cabins, and aircraft seats. In addition, reports are cited on design of anatomical models, computerized simulation of the human body, and anthropometry as related to the strength of body members and physical fitness. (This updated bibliography contains 208 abstracts, none of which are new entries to the previous edition.)

Research studies are abstracted related to anthropometric measurements for use in designing military and civilian protective equipment and clothing, automobile interiors and air bag restraint systems, aircraft cabins, and aircraft seats. Also, reports are cited on design of anatomical models, computerized simulation of the human body, and anthropometry as related to the strength of body members and physical fitness. Contains 203 abstracts.

The Inflatable Body and Head Restraint System (IBAHRS) is a new concept in helicopter aircrew restraint which utilizes inflatable airbag technology for increased crash protection. IBAHRS uses a conventional helicopter restraint harness with bladders attached and neatly folded to the underside of the shoulder harness. Inside each bladder is a small solid propellant gas generator. During a crash, an omnidirection crash sensor remotely located on the aircraft, sends an electric current to a squib in each gas generator. This action inflates the bladders with a nontoxic gas in under twenty milliseconds, and removes the slack in the restraint. This tightening action couples the occupant more firmly to the seat and reduces the dynamic overshoot which results with a loose restraint during a crash. The wearer's strike potential with cockpit objects is reduced as is strap loading on his torso when the inflated bladders are compressed during crash loading. A reduction of strap load concentration on the body is achieved because of the increased bearing surface provided when the restraint is inflated. An appendage of the upper restraint inflates under the wearer's chin to reduce potential injury due to violent forward head motion which occurs during a crash. A crotch strap is provided to prevent submaring by the seat occupant. This report describes the current configuration of the advanced development model of IBAHRS and details its principle of operation.

The patent application concerns a vehicle occupant restraint system which includes a bladder member securely affixed to shoulder straps and a lap belt. The bladder member comprises a central pocket portion in fluid communication with two pelvic bags and two chest bags. The chest bags are additionally interconnected with a chin bag member. Upon impact the bladder member automatically inflates to thereby cushions the pelvic and chest areas against the forces of the collision and simultaneously the chin bag member inflates to thereby prevent rotation of the vehicle occupant's chin into his chest.

The relative contributions to auditory temporary threshold shift (TTS) of the air bag vehicle volume displacement and of the high frequency noise burst associated with activation, air turbulence, unfolding, etc., of the system were investigated. Ten male university subjects with normal hearing were exposed to each of three conditions: (a) to a positive pressure pulse of 165 DB peak pressure with a rise time of 65 ms and a duration of 960 msec; (b) to a high frequency noise burst in the 350 Hz-2 kHz band at 153 dB rms with rise and fall times of 25 ms and a duration of 400 ms and (c) to a and b presented simultaneously. TTS was measured for 12 discrete frequencies ranging from 125 Hz to 12 kHz for each exposure condition. The high frequency noise burst produced the greatest amount of TTS. The positive pressure pulse produced no measurable changes in hearing levels. The two components occurring simultaneously resulted in less TTS than that produced by the noise burst alone. (Modified author abstract)

The report documents a program that investigated inflatable restraint design criteria and developed an airbag restraint system for use in a general aviation aircraft. The program required three phases of effort which were data collection, establishment of design goals, and concept development. The first phase consisted of collecting data on crash acceleration profiles, inflatable restraints, energy attenuation criteria, and airframe dimensions. With this information and available human tolerance data, it was possible to develop analytical models of the seated occupant and airbag restraint, which were used to determine the design goals for inflatable occupant restraints that could be used in general aviation aircraft. Once the design goals were established, airplane cabin dimensions and inflatable system performance specifications were used to develop an inflatable restraint concept for general aviation aircraft.

The objective of the study was to experimentally test a developmental prototype automobile air bag restraint system using human subjects. Seven different barrier crash impact profiles were studied using thirteen healthy young male volunteers seated in the right front passenger position. Experimental data were collected at impact velocities ranging from 15.1 to 31.5 miles per hour to determine the operational performance characteristics of the air bag, subject dynamic interaction with the air bag, subjective evaluation, and trauma encountered during the experiment. The findings of this investigation are summarized., Sponsored in part by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C. Report No. DOT-HS-800 805. Previously announced as PB-219 643.

The ultimate objective of the program was the design and development of an inflatable lateral body support system. The program also included the design and development of a special test apparatus, configured to represent the salient features of a crew escape module, which could be used on the AMRL HYGE sled facility to test inflatable restraints in escape capsule lateral impact conditions. Design criteria were collected from airbag systems manufacturers and crash pulse and tolerance data were found from several sources. A stored gas, direct, and aspirated flow system was selected as the best for the tests to be conducted and the system was developed by Rocket Research Corporation, Redmond, Washington. Based upon existing crash pulse data, the same system should provide adequate capability to study inflatable restraint response and protection for light fixed-wing aircraft and fixed-wing transport crash pulses. (Modified author abstract)

An automatic activating airbag restraint system triggered by an impact force has been advocated for use in general aviation aircraft. The report reviews the results of some of the early deceleration test work conducted on an airbag system. Static and dynamic tests of an automotive system experimentally tailored to general aviation aircraft are described. Test results which show attenuation of the upper torso deceleration levels and compared with tests of conventional systems are discussed. Some results of deceleration tests of restraint systems utilizing shoulder harness are also presented. A comparison of these results with those of the airbag tests indicate a nearly identical level of protection excepting that the airbag prevents flailing of the occupants' arms, whereas the shoulder harness does not. Static tests showed that inadvertent operation of the experimental airbag system tested could interfere with operation of the aircraft. (Modified author abstract)

The problem of the air bag and its development standards and their significance is addressed. The auto safety standards are critically reviewed in detail especially those portions concerned with crashworthiness. Suggestions for specific new additions as well as modifications of existing standards are made. Special attention is focused on the instrument panel area, hard internal spots such as door posts, windshield headers, and main frame structural elements, and the front seat (which should be appreciably strengthened). The worth from a cost/benefit viewpoint of increasing vehicle safety is examined in some detail. The problem of general aviation crashworthiness is also examined in the same context and it is suggested there that immediate retrofitting of existing airplanes should take place in a manner comparable to automobiles (in other terms, similar standards should be invoked). The general question of resource allocation is also examined and it is suggested that greater and organized national attention be devoted to this critical problem. (Author)

Some advanced air bag technologies are currently being installed in, vehicles and others are still being developed. The principal advanced, technology that is currently being installed in some vehicles is air bags that can inflate with lower or higher levels of power?rather than a single level?depending on the severity of the crash. For example, four manufacturers installed frontal air bag systems that can deploy with multiple levels of power in at least 25 percent of their model year 2001 vehicles. Some manufacturers have also installed other advanced technologies, such as sensors that enable the air bag system to adapt its deployment for belted or unbelted occupants or for drivers who are seated close to the steering wheel. Although frontal air bag systems with these advanced technologies represent improvements over previous systems, they do not contain all of the features that manufacturers believe are needed to meet the requirements in the advanced air bag rule, such as sensors that can distinguish among different types of occupants. To meet the requirements, manufacturers plan to introduce new technologies as, well as continue to make further improvements in current technologies., The key new technologies that manufacturers plan to introduce are, occupant classification sensors that can distinguish among infants and, children (as well as their safety seats), and adults on the passenger side. The addition of these sensors is necessary to allow the air bag system to provide the appropriate deployment level?such as no deployment, low power, or high power?depending on the type of occupant., The primary challenge in meeting the requirements in the advanced air bag rule is the development of occupant classification sensors that are, accurate, durable, and suitable for mass production. Sensors that are, currently being developed sometimes classify an occupant inaccurately, which could result in the air bag not deploying when it should, deploying when it should not, or deploying with greater or less force than intended.

This paper reports on the test procedure development, phase of the agency’s Improved Frontal Protection, research program. It is anticipated that even after all cars, and light trucks have air bags for drivers and front seat, passengers there will remain over 8,000 fatalities a year, and over 100,000 moderate to severe injuries. This, research program will address these injuries/fatalities, through development of crash tests with impact, conditions not currently addressed by FMVSS No. 208, development of additional or more appropriate, instrumentation and injury criteria on the test surrogate, and evaluation of other sizes of test surrogates., An analysis of crash data is presented using the, National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) and the, Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for fatality, counts. The population is drivers in frontal collisions, with air bag restraints. Using NASS, frontal impact, modes are grouped into general "test" conditions which, will best represent the real world impact environment., These general test conditions include full barrier, left and, right offset, and other impact modes. Using these general, groupings of impact conditions, the analysis further, assesses degree of overlap and impact direction to, determine more specifically which crash conditions result, in highest injury/fatality to drivers with air bags., Injury/fatality risk is also assessed by driver size and, body region, with a more detailed analysis of leg injuries., Finally, a preliminary benefits analysis is presented for a, future frontal, left, offset test procedure.

The objectives of this study were (1) to estimate the effectiveness of seatbelts and driver, airbags for mitigating medium- and heavy-truck driver injuries, and (2) to discuss the, implication of these estimates with respect to truck-driving conditions in the U.S. and China., U.S. data showed that fatal or serious injuries of truck drivers are caused mainly by, rollover, collision with a light vehicle or another truck, or collision with fixed objects., Rollover crashes account for most serious injuries, and pose the highest injury risk per crash., By controlling for the difference in crash-type distributions between trucks and light vehicles, seatbelts were estimated to be about 58% effective in reducing truck-driver injuries—, comparable to the value for light vehicles. Airbags’ effectiveness was calculated to be about, 6% for unbelted truck drivers and 4% for belted truck drivers—lower than that for light, vehicles, primarily because of the higher proportion of rollover injuries sustained by truck, drivers., The main relevant difference between truck-driving conditions in the U.S. and China is, the seatbelt-use rate of truck drivers: greater than 70% in the U.S., but likely less than 10% in, China. This difference would likely reduce the true effectiveness of seatbelts. Therefore, it is, important to encourage Chinese truck drivers to wear seatbelts, because the effectiveness of, seatbelts at high use rates is much greater than that for airbags. In addition, the lower truck, traveling speeds in China would likely result in a lower percentage of truck rollover crashes, than in the U.S. Consequently, the effectiveness of both seatbelts and airbags in reducing truck, driver injuries may be slightly higher in China than in the U.S.