McNeill, 1 CURRENT WORLDWIDE SIDE IMPACT ACTIVITIES – DIVERGENCE VERSUS HARMONISATION AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECT ON FUTURE CAR DESIGN

Car manufacturers design vehicles and side impact restraint systems to protect passengers from the risk of serious injury in the event of a side impact. In each of the major markets of the world, the sideimpact testing requirements as set by the regulatory and the consumer interests are generally different. This paper will document and compare the international side impact regulatory and consumer test requirements of now and the future. Using a sample of results from vehicles tested in accordance with the discussed future regulations and consumer tests, it is shown that vehicles currently “best rated” for side-impact protection in consumer tests need to be redesigned in order to meet the prospective regulatory requirements. This paper will discuss the vehicle structural, interior and restraint design changes, which could be required. The global side-impact tests and requirements are diverging, and not converging towards a harmonized Side-impact Testing Protocol as presented by the IHRA at the 2003 ESV Conference. It is our goal that side-impact requirements and procedures should become less diversified and more harmonized as we continue to improve side-impact protection for all customers worldwide.