Development of an Advanced Vehicle Restraint System with an Adaptive Steering Column for Special Consideration of Small Occupants

Abstract

Research work was performed on adaptive steering columns that can be integrated in passenger cars and could minimize injuries to the occupants in frontal car crashes. Steering columns are typically equipped with a deformation device, which allows limited forward displacement of the steering wheel when being impacted dynamically by the occupant. As these features perform on pre-described force levels, they deform less when loaded with lower energy, so e.g. when impacted by a smaller occupant. So especially for small occupants the maximum available forward displacement is not used, these passengers will be decelerated on a higher g-level than needed. A component simulation model with a standard restraint system was set up using Hypermesh and LS-Dyna to investigate kinematics and injury pattern for all available dummy sizes (5-50-95%ile). For the steering column, a damping device was developed allowing adaptive force levels with help of magneto-rheological fluids. This advanced safety feature could improve safety for a wide range of occupants in passenger cars and will help to minimize or even prevent injuries.