Test and rating methods copying as closely as possible the real accident process are required in order to get reliable information on the safety performance. For frontal impact tests this means that today the preferred impact obstacle is the deformable barrier and not the rigid wall. Comparison tests show that the barrier causes more realistic deformation of the vehicle than the rigid wall. Reliable data on vehicle compatibility is however still not available and based on the results it is demonstrated how the barrier could be developed in order to also get information on this passive safety aspect. Crash test results are evaluated with a rating procedure in order to determine the injury risk for passengers. To prove the validity of the methods used results are compared with real life accidents on a type-specific basis. (A)
Abstract