The development of a virtual dummy is expected to reduce the number of neck injuries received in car accidents.
Peter Ullrich, Crash Safety and Impact Product Manager of developer ESI Group, said: “By using BioRID-II dummies, car manufacturers can enhance seats frame structure so that they absorb more energy and reduce rebound effects, which is decisive in ensuring the safety of car occupants during a crash.”
The new crash-test technology simulates the velocity, force and kinematics experienced by people in car accidents, and its developers believe it will eventually lead to better neck injury protection for drivers and passengers.
Firstly, a solver offers state-of-the-art physics-based models for crash and other impact problems. Secondly, the Visual Environment portfolio is a suite of highly productive CAE process automation products. Finally, there are validated compute models, including crash test dummies, impactors, barriers, and a unique family of human body models (HBM – used to simulate the potential discharge when a human touches an electronic device and characterise the susceptibility of an electronic device to damage from electrostatic discharge).
Insurance industry insiders will be hoping the new technology will significantly reduce the cost of whiplash claims.