Seat Tests

Experience unparalleled expertise and precision in vehicle seat crash testing

Evaluating the Safety Performance of Vehicle Seats

Seat safety tests are one of the most important test for occupant safety.

At Safety Dynamics, we specialize in meticulously engineered vehicle seat crash tests, ensuring the highest standards of safety and reliability. Our cutting-edge facilities and expert technicians and engineers conduct rigorous evaluations to simulate real-world collision scenarios, assessing seat performance and occupant protection. Trust us to provide invaluable insights into seat design and functionality, contributing to the advancement of automotive safety standards. Experience unparalleled expertise and precision in vehicle seat crash testing at Safety Dynamics. ECE R17, also known as UN Regulation No. 17, is a globally recognized standard established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It specifies requirements for the design, construction, and performance of seats, their anchorages, and head restraints in vehicles. At Safety Dynamics, we specialize in conducting comprehensive crash tests to evaluate vehicle seats’ compliance with regulations such as ECE R17 and ECE R80. Our state-of-the-art facilities and experienced team ensure accurate and reliable testing results, helping manufacturers enhance the safety of their products and protect occupants on the road.

Crucial Points

Crashworthiness

Assessing how well the car seat protects occupants during simulated crash scenarios, including frontal, side, and rear impacts. This involves evaluating structural integrity, energy absorption, and occupant restraint systems’ effectiveness.

Occupant Restraint

Ensuring that seat belts, harness systems, and other restraints properly secure occupants in the event of a crash. This includes evaluating the distribution of forces across the body, minimizing movement, and preventing ejection from the seat.

Head Protection

Evaluating the effectiveness of head restraints and side impact protection features in mitigating head injuries. Properly positioned headrests can reduce the risk of whiplash and head trauma during collisions.

Dynamic Performance

Subjecting car seats to dynamic crash simulations to replicate real-world scenarios accurately. This involves measuring forces, accelerations, and occupant movement during impact to assess how well the seat performs in crash situations.

Regulatory Compliance

Ensuring that the car seat meets applicable regulatory standards, such as ECE R17 or ECE R80 in Europe, FMVSS 208 in the United States, or other relevant regulations in different regions. Compliance demonstrates that the seat meets minimum safety requirements set by authorities and provides consumers with confidence in the product’s safety.

UN / ECE R 17 Tests

The primary aim of ECE R17 is to enhance occupant safety by ensuring that vehicle seats provide effective protection in the event of a crash. By setting rigorous standards for seat design and performance, this regulation aims to minimize the risk of injury to occupants during collisions.

Key Requirements of ECE R17: Seat Strength and Structure: ECE R17 specifies requirements for the strength and structure of vehicle seats to withstand crash forces and provide adequate support to occupants. Dynamic Testing: The regulation outlines procedures for conducting dynamic testing, including frontal and rear-end impact tests, to assess the performance of seats in crash scenarios. Seat Belt Anchorage: ECE R17 sets requirements for seat belt anchorages to ensure secure attachment and effective restraint of occupants during crashes. Head Restraints: The regulation includes provisions for the design and positioning of head restraints to reduce the risk of whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions. Benefits of ECE R17 Compliance: Enhanced Occupant Protection: Seats designed and tested in accordance with ECE R17 offer increased protection to vehicle occupants in the event of a crash. Global Recognition: ECE R17 is recognized internationally, facilitating market access for manufacturers who comply with its requirements. Consumer Confidence: Compliance with ECE R17 demonstrates a commitment to safety, instilling confidence in consumers regarding the quality and performance of vehicle seats.

UN / ECE R 80 Tests

ECE R80, also known as United Nations Regulation No. 80, is an internationally recognized standard established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It specifies requirements for the design, construction, and performance of child restraint systems (CRS) used in vehicles to enhance child safety during travel.

Key Elements of ECE R80: Scope and Definitions: ECE R80 defines the scope of child restraint systems and provides clear terminology for different types of CRS, including infant carriers, child seats, and booster cushions. Design and Construction: The regulation outlines requirements for the design, materials, and construction of CRS to ensure durability, stability, and ease of use. This includes specifications for seat shell integrity, harness systems, and impact-absorbing materials. Performance Testing: ECE R80 includes procedures for conducting dynamic and static testing to evaluate the performance of CRS in simulated crash scenarios. Dynamic tests assess how well the CRS protects a child occupant during frontal, side, and rear impacts, while static tests evaluate factors such as stability and integrity. Installation and Compatibility: The regulation addresses installation requirements to ensure proper fitting of CRS in vehicles, including compatibility with vehicle seating positions, attachment methods (such as ISOFIX), and clear labeling for installation instructions. Child Size and Weight Categories: ECE R80 categorizes CRS based on the size and weight of child occupants, providing guidance for selecting appropriate restraint systems according to age, height, and weight. Benefits of ECE R80 Compliance: Enhanced Child Safety: CRS compliant with ECE R80 offer increased protection for child occupants in vehicles, reducing the risk of injury during crashes or sudden stops. Global Recognition: ECE R80 is recognized internationally, facilitating market access for manufacturers who comply with its requirements and ensuring consistency in child safety standards across regions. Consumer Confidence: Compliance with ECE R80 demonstrates a commitment to child safety, providing consumers with assurance regarding the quality and effectiveness of CRS products.

Test Dummies

Hybrid III 50th Male Dummy for ECE R80 Tests

Humanetics harmonized Hybrid III 50th Male ATD is the most widely used crash test dummy in the world for the evaluation of automotive safety restraint systems in frontal crash testing. Originally developed by General Motors, the Hybrid III 50th percentile male design is now maintained and developed by Humanetics in conjunction with the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) Biomechanics Committees and the National Highway Transport and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Our H-III 50M is a regulated test device in the USA Code of Federal Regulations (Part 572, Subpart E) and also in the European ECE Regulations. It is considered to have excellent biofidelity and instrumentation capability. Recent revisions have improved biofidelity in the femur range of motion, and also the ankle and foot. The H-III 50M dummy is also used in many non-automotive applications such as wheelchairs and medical and sports equipment.

Key Features

Description (and comparison to the Hybrid II which it replaced).

Improved biofidelity in the head, neck, thorax, pelvis, and knees
Anatomically-improved head
Neck has different flexion and extension response which is tested
Thorax has improved biofidelic response to impact
Lower torso uses the driver’s slouch position with a curved lumbar spine, with two spine cables for better representation of dummy posture
Tibia displacement measurement allowed for ACL damage estimation
Ankle bumpers minimize mechanical noise

Applications

The Hybrid III 50th Male dummy is used for testing restraint systems in vehicle crash scenarios and may also be used for wheelchair testing and other modalities
It offers consistent results and many measurement capabilities

Regulations

WHERE USED	DEFINING REGULATION	DATES
EuroNCAP	EuroNCAP frontal impact testing protocol	March 2004, latest: Nov 2019
Frontal Collision Protection	UNECE R94	16 Oct 1995; Aug 12, 1996 amended 21 Feb 2002; 31 Jan 2003; 2 Feb 2007; 13 Feb 2014; 10 June 2014, 18 June 2016
Head Restraints	49CFR Part 571.202a	72 FR 25514, May 4, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 67246, Nov. 2, 2010; 77 FR 761, Jan. 6, 2012
Hybrid III Test Dummy	49CFR Part 572 Subpart-E	51 FR 26701, July 25, 1986, as amended at 53 FR 8765, Mar. 17, 1988; 62 FR 27518, May 20, 1997; 63 FR 45965, Aug. 28, 1998
Head Restraints	49CFR Part 571.202a	72 FR 25514, May 4, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 67246, Nov. 2, 2010; 77 FR 761, Jan. 6, 2012
Occupant Crash Protection	49CFR Part 571.208

Advantages of Working with Safety Dynamics

Short Booking Periods

We serve our services in a short time of schedule. It gives you a time serving advanteges and getting test results faster. (Less than 10 minutes between tests!)

Location & Transport

We are based on a important geological are.

High Tech Equipments

We have state-of-the-art equipment that complies with the latest technology and regulations.