Theoretical prediction of the trajectory of automobiles after side-impact.

For the case of an automobile obliquely striking another at an intersection, the intersection events during and after impact may be grouped in three phases: initial impact and momentum interchange, motion of both vehicles as hinged body prior to separation, and separate trajectories. The significant variables are: initial angle of impact, point of impact relative to the struck automobile, and the weights and initial speeds of the colliding automobiles. The results are presented graphically as x-y trajectories plotted by computer methods.