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Improving passenger car damageability has been an important topic for The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Research Council for Automotive Repairs (RCAR) council. Incorporation of new IIHS/RCAR barrier (Rigid bumper shaped barrier fitted with an energy absorbing material and cover) in ‘Bumper Structural Test protocols’ closely replicates the damage patterns observed in real world low-speed crashes. Inclusion of new IIHS/RCAR barrier impact (10kmph speed) test, along with IIHS and RCAR bumper test protocols, redefines the development of countermeasures for low speed damageability. In this paper an innovative cost effective, and lightweight, hybrid bumper beam solution is proposed with thermoplastics and steel, to meet IIHS and RCAR impact requirements including new IIHS/RCAR barrier impact test protocols.

Worldwide involvement in Global Technical Regulation (GTR) discussion shows the increasing importance of pedestrian safety as a global concern. Vehicle front styling plays an important role in vehicle to pedestrian impact. Front styling can change the pedestrian kinematics and injury levels during an impact. Key elements of bumper front are Fascia, Upper & Lower Grille, Hood, spoiler or undertray, bumper beam and height of these components from ground level, determine the vehicle aggressiveness for pedestrian safety. This paper presents an approach to diagnose the vehicle front aggressiveness for pedestrian leg impact. Eight different vehicle bumper front configurations from ‘minis’ to ‘sedans’ are studied for lower leg impact cases, to understand the bumper stiffness profile (stiffness in upper, middle and lower load path).