THE REPORT SUMMARIZES THE WORK OF VOLKSWAGENWERK AG IN THE MIV (MODIFIED INTEGRATED VEHICLE) RESEARCH PROJECT OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE MIV PROJECT VOLKSWAGENWERK WAS REQUESTED BY NHTSA TO DEVELOP CONCEPTS AND STRUCTURES WHICH WOULD HARMONIZE CONTRADICTORY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS - THE GREATEST POSSIBLE REDUCTION IN DUMMY LOADINGS WITH THE LOWEST POSSIBLE VEHICLE WEIGHT INCREASE UNDER THE PRECONDITION THAT THE DESIGN BE SUITED TO CURRENT MASS PRODUCTION METHODS. THE 4 DOOR-VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT WAS TO SERVE AS THE BASIS OF THE STUDY. THE NHTSA GOALS MANDATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEW TEST CONFIGURATIONS AND DEVICES FOR LATERAL IMPACT AT 30 MPH AND FRONTAL FIXED BARRIER IMPACT AT 35 MPH. THE REALIZATION OF NHTSA'S PROJECT GOALS NECESSITATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ALL-NEW "INTEGRATED STRUCTURE", A CONCEPT IN WHICH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF COMPONENTS IS EFFECTIVE DURING THE DEFINED FRONTAL AND LATERAL IMPACTS. THE SPECIFIC GOALS ESTABLISHED BY NHTSA WERE MET IN THE MIV PROJECT. THE RESULTS OF PHASE 1 DEMONSTRATE A POTENTIAL FOR PROMISING REDUCTIONS IN DUMMY LOADINGS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THESE REDUCTIONS WERE OBSERVED IN ONLY A SINGLE TEST, THE RESULTS ARE PRESENTLY NOT SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY THE INCORPORATION OF MIV COMPONENTS INTO PRODUCTION VEHICLES. FURTHER RESEARCH ON A BROADER SCALE WITH A BROAD RANGE OF VEHICLE TYPES IS REQUIRED. THE MIV PROJECT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT ONLY ONE OF MANY WHICH MUST BE TAKEN IN THE COMPLEX RESEARCH EFFORT NECESSARY TO REALIZE FURTHER INCREASES IN EXISTING LEVELS OF PASSIVE SAFETY IN REAL WORLD LATERAL AND FRONTAL COLLISIONS.(A) FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF THE CONFERENCE SEE IRRD 802816.
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