Modern testing techniques in motor vehicle safety research with regard to rear end crash properties.

Modern, lightweight three- door vehicle concepts, like the new Volvo 480, demand a special approach in the development of their rear end crash properties. In order to develop the Volvo 480 efficiently from the viewpoint of its rear end crash behaviour, different techniques were used. Some of these techniques are common practice in the automotive industry, others are less usual. The latter techniques are the subject of this paper.