A METHODOLOGY IS BEING DEVELOPED TO ASSESS FLEET SAFETY IN THE FRONTAL CRASH MODE. WHILE MANY INDIVIDUAL SAFETY CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE IN IMPROVING SAFETY POTENTIAL OF ONE VEHICLE, FEW STUDIES HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PREDICTED NET SAFETY GAINS WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED BY RELATIVELY MINOR VEHICLE CHANGES (IN SOME CASES) APPLIED TO LARGE PORTIONS OF THE FLEET. THIS STUDY ADDRESSES THE METHODOLOGY FOR PREDICTING THE NET GAIN IN SAFETY BENEFIT BY MANIPULATION OF INPUT VEHICLE/FLEET PARAMETERS (STIFFNESS, WEIGHT, FLEET DISTRIBUTIONS, ACCIDENT DISTRIBUTIONS), AND OCCUPANT INJURY PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS. THE APPLICATION OF THIS METHODOLOGY IS THE IDENTIFICATION OF OPTIMIZED VEHICLE STRUCTRUAL INPUT PARAMETERS WHICH RESULT IN MINIMUM RISK TO THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE.(A) FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF THE CONFERENCE SEE IRRD 802816.
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