Pelvis and spine injury predicting models for women and men in a variety of sitting postures in future autonomous cars

Purpose and goal

The SAFER HBM model was refined in the project to enable evaluation of protection for all occupants in accidents with today’s as well as in future cars in which the occupants have a greater freedom to choose seating position. The model can be morphed to the anthropometry of males and females of various sizes which enables evaluation and development of protection systems that can provide males and females in various sitting positions with equal level of protection in todays as well as future vehicles.

Expected effects and result

The result is an updated morphable SAFER HBM with the capability to predict humanlike kinematics and injury risk for women and men of various sizes in reclined as well as in upright seating position in crashes. The industrial partners can with the tool develop protection systems that can reduce the number of injured and killed in traffic. The project partners plan to make SAFER HBM globally available by the end of 2023. This enables additional parties to develop protection systems that can reduce the number of injured and killed in crashes with todays and future cars.

Planned approach and implementation

The project was a cooperation between industry and academia. A PhD student was tied to the project. The collaboration made the transfer of results and knowledge between academia and industry efficient. Early versions of the tools and methods were made available to the industrial partners which resulted in feedback that was incorporated in the development and early industrial application. The access to the advanced tools provided the industrial partners with an advantage in the development of market leading protection systems for today’s as well as for future vehicles.