National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Target pre-crash scenarios, crash modes, and occupant injury mechanisms are statistically described for crash imminent braking (CIB) and advanced restraint system (ARS) applications based on pre-crash sensing. Vehicle-object and vehicle-vehicle crashes are distinguished between single-impact and multiple-impact crashes. This analysis focuses on light vehicles of model year 1998 or higher that suffered frontal damage from the first most harmful event. An in-depth examination of candidate crash cases from target crashes was conducted to understand crash mechanisms and circumstances as well as occupant injury scenarios. Consideration was given to pre-crash conditions for CIB applications and to injury source for ARS applications. Results will be used in subsequent research to assess candidate CIB and ARS technologies, develop system functional requirements, devise test procedures, and estimate safety benefits