Vehicle Analysis with respect to Passive Safety and Economic Effects

Within the framework of the VOI Project (VOI = Economically justified passenger protection, a research project supported by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology) and based on a comparative analysis of cars in various weight classes, vehicles were selected whose responses to safety relevant measures were representative for the vehicle population in the Federal Republic of Germany. The force/deformation characteristics required to validate the crash simulation model used for optimisation calculations have also been determined. Finally the effects of modified vehicle crush structure force/deformation characteristics on sticker price, operation and maintenance cost, and post-accident total expenses have been quantified.