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In this paper, the results from a matrix of tests performed to evaluate the response of the occupant injuries in collisions between passenger cars at 55 km/h are reviewed. Various crash tests were conducted with different vehicle weights and stiffness to investigate the effect of body intrusion and vehicle deceleration on occupant injuries. Some cases showed high intrusion which resulted in high occupant injury. Conversely some cases exhibited severe body deceleration which resulted in high occupant injury. In the cases with severe body deceleration, the body intrusion was almost the same as a 64 km/h ODB test but the injuries occur because the body deceleration is much greater in the car-to-car collision than the ODB test. To assess vehicle compatibility, an MDB test method is proposed which is one of the representative test methods of real world car-to-car accidents.

This research will discuss the issue of how the currently used frontal crash tests correlate to actual accidents. The following data will be presented in relation to this: 1. Results of offset crash tests now being conducted, and results of vehicle-to-vehicle crash tests, especially results of crash tests in which the vehicles have different weights. 2. Why do such differences occur? 3. Differences between the results of tests with moving deformable barriers (MDB) which are being studied by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and results of vehicle-to-vehicle crash tests. 4. Results of modifications to test methods The following aspects of the above mentioned issues will be discussed: 1. Important items and information to be considered in studying crash test methods to be used in the future. 2. Information which needs to be taken into consideration in developing cars in the future.