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USCAR Jump-Starts Effort to Standardize Side Impact Dummies

2 December 1998

USCAR Jump-Starts Effort to Standardize Side Impact Dummies Worldwide

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 1 -- The United States Council for
Automotive Research (USCAR) has initiated an effort to standardize worldwide
side impact crash test dummies by making a formal proposal to the
International Organization of Standardization.  This prototype WorldSID, as
it's being called, will be jointly developed by the Americas, Europe and the
Asia/Pacific region, and will replace the four different dummies currently
used worldwide.
    "Since individuals around the world are basically the same, having
different dummies in different markets is not logical," said Risa Scherer, the
tri-chairperson representing North, Central and South America in the worldwide
task group.  She also is a member of USCAR's Occupant Safety Research
Partnership (OSRP), which domestically studies crash test dummies and advanced
restraint systems.  "Tests were being duplicated which led to a need for
additional resources, higher costs to consumers, limited consumer choices for
vehicles and no corresponding safety benefits," Scherer continued.
    The other two task group chairpeople, along with Scherer, are Takahiko
Uchimura for the Asia/Pacific region and Dominique Cesari for the European
region.  The task group contains four technical representatives per region and
one governmental representative per country.
    Each region will fund one-third of the total dummy design cost.  The
target completion date for a prototype dummy is January 3, 2000, and the
project's goal is to create a dummy that would be used in a globally-
harmonized side impact crash test standard in worldwide regulations.  This
would mean that no matter where in the world a car is built and safety tested,
it could be sold anywhere on the globe since every country would have
identical safety standards.
    "It's possible that the best parts of each of the four dummies could be
adopted for use on the WorldSID," said Guy Nusholtz, chairman of USCAR's
safety partnership.  "Under the WorldSID project, we're evaluating current
dummies and working together to design, develop, fabricate and test a dummy
with a good-to-excellent biofidelity rating that will further improve side
impact crash tests worldwide."
    In an effort to ensure the success of this program, the task group
selected Marc Beusenberg of Biokinetics in Ottawa, Ont., as the WorldSID
program manager.  He is accountable to the WorldSID task group and executes
the decisions and directions of the task group, prepares development plans and
alternatives and handles day-to-day operations.
    International Harmonized Research Activities (IHRA) also will participate
by contributing to WorldSID dummy specifications and taking part in evaluating
the dummy.  IHRA is a group of governmental agencies worldwide that conducts
joint research.  It is hoped that the results of this research will lead to a
harmonized side impact safety standard.
    "A fully-harmonized side impact standard would include the same injury
criteria requirements around the world, measured using the WorldSID dummy in a
test procedure developed by IHRA," said Tom Terry, a member of USCAR's safety
partnership management committee.  "Once the dummy is fully developed, we will
be in a position to formulate a harmonized side impact standard."
    USCAR was formed in 1992 by Chrysler, Ford and GM to further strengthen
the technology base of the domestic auto industry through a variety of
cooperative, pre-competitive research.
    For more information on the WorldSID project, please visit
http://www.worldsid.org or http://www.uscar.org on the Internet.