Today's requirements of occupant protection have been a limitation to the reduction of the size of a car for a long time. Small urban vehicles do not offer sufficient space for a crash zone. Additionally, the risk of severe injuries is increased by the incompatibility of light and heavy weighted cars during an impact. The project of the Institute for Mechanics at the University of Technology in Graz (Austria) is based on recent results of research and development on small hard shell vehicles. The aim of this project is an investigation of the concept of a moveable seat system which enables a moderate deceleration for the occupants during front (the focus of this paper) or rear impact although the vehicle itself suffers a quite high deceleration. (A)
Samenvatting