Evaluation of a new pedestrian head injury protection system with a sensor in the bumper and lifting of the bonnet’s rear part

Abstract

Pedestrians are a high-risk group in vehicle impacts, especially in urban areas. In Europe pedestrians account for around 20 % of all traffic fatalities. In the rest of the world this frequency varies from 14 % in USA up to 47 % in Thailand. The majority of pedestrian fatalities are due to head impacts. Today’s cars are very densely packed under the bonnet. Certain stiff parts, such as the spring tower and the top of the engine, are very close to the bonnet. There is often not enough space for bonnet deformation by an impacting head. The consequence is often a severe or fatal head injury. Therefore, a protection system has been developed to