The PRISM project was a 5th framework European Commission (EC) project with a consortium led by MIRA, which comprised MIRA, TRL, VSRC, TU Graz, TNO, Daimler-Chrysler, CIDAUT, DALPHIMETAL and TRW. TRL's contribution to the PRISM project was jointly funded by the European Commission (EC) and the Department for Transport (DfT). The objectives of the PRISM project were to investigate the likely future societal and financial benefits of implementing 'smart' restraint system technologies and to develop guidelines on how to assess and validate the performance of 'smart' restraint systems. Current legislative and consumer automotive impact tests typically assess the injury risk to a 50th percentile dummy in a standard posture under a limited range of impact conditions. However, the potential variables influencing a real occupant's injury risk are far greater and include variations in the impact conditions (speed and direction) in addition to the size and posture of the occupant and the biomechanical tolerance to injury. Work Package (WP) 1 of the PRISM project included a review of available accident data and current 'smart' restraint system technologies. Future technologies were detailed by examining patent archives. In addition, a photographic study of European seating positions was carried out, and experiments to identify pre-crash postures were undertaken, both for the driver and front seat passenger. WP2 involved identifying and justifying the important injury types from the reviewed accident data in WP1. Those injury mechanisms were analysed and defined using ten 'injury scenarios'. These injury mechanisms were then used to assess how 'smart' restraint systems might be developed to mitigate these injuries. In WP3 an extensive programme of MADYMO modelling was performed to determine the potential benefits that advanced restraint systems might have in reducing occupant injury risk for a wider range of occupant sizes using realistic occupant positioning. WP 4 then considered the potential benefits and compared the critical injury scenarios identified with existing legislation and standards to formulate improved guidelines for defining and assessing the functional requirements of 'smart' restraint systems. (Author/publisher)
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