A two-stage study was conducted to identify a suitable child restraint (CRS) to fit a Holden Commodore vehicle. Seven CRS were evaluated: 1 infant capsule (rear-facing), 3 dedicated forward-facing restraints and 3 convertibles (rear-facing mode for infants and forward-facing mode for children). Stage 1 testing involved an evaluation of goodness-of-fit and quality of installation. Stage 2 testing involved dynamic sled tests (frontal and side-impact) using the 5 best performers from Stage 1. Amongst the rear-facing restraints, the capsule performed better than all convertibles, showing least reduction of front seat space and greatest lateral stability under a 200N force. Of the restraints tested in forward-facing mode, one dedicated forward-facing restraint was found to be superior. The sled tests showed differences in dummies' forward head excursion, forward and lateral stability of CRS, and side-impact head protection. Overall, although the findings suggested a good level of protection, several areas for design improvement were highlighted including methods of fixing the restraint to the vehicle and the size of the side wings. For the covering abstract see ITRD E825082.
Samenvatting