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Correctly fitted seat belts save the lives of car passengers everyday. In attempt to reduce the risk of injuries, primarily abdominal, caused by inappropriate belt fitting, Transport Canada developed the Belt fit Test Device (BTD). The BTD is a physical hardware measuring device that tests whether the lap and torso belt are appropriately positioned with respect to the bony structures of the pelvis and rib cage of the restrained occupant. To overcome the deviations of hardware physical tests and to enable review of belt design in early design phases, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers funded the development of an electronic simulation and modeling tool in the form of an electronic Belt fit Test Device (eBTD). The development takes place in close co-operation with the Joint Working Group on Abdominal Injury Reduction (JWG-AIR).

This paper describes the development of an interface system for attaching infant and child restraints and booster cushions to passenger vehicles. The resulting prototype, known as CANFIX is based on the ISOFIX concept which was conceived in Sweden. The CANFIX design comprises two rear attachments to be secured to two anchorage points located behind the vehicle seat bight. In forward-facing child restraints, the CANFIX system also includes the tether anchorage feature. The results of preliminary dynamic testing of three CANFIX modified restraint systems are presented in the paper with the results of tests to examine the compatibility of the CANFIX system with current vehicle seats.