Crash tests : one element to assess passive safety of passenger cars.

This paper outlines a first approach to a test method to assess the passive safety potential of passenger cars closely oriented to real-world accidents. The procedure should be suitable to point out deficiencies in vehicle safety design, and to indicate methodical improvements in the passive safety performance. The results of several full-scale impact tests are discussed referring to dummy response, structural behaviour and safety performance of interior vehicle components. Additional component-tests are proposed which will be necessary to obtain an extensive assessment of the passive safety level of the tested vehicle.