title: Potential of a precrash lateral occupant movement in side collisions of (electric) minicars.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In minicars, the survival space between the side structure and occupant is smaller than in conventional cars. This is an issue in side collisions. Therefore, in this article a solution is studied in which a lateral seat movement is imposed in the precrash phase. It generates a pre-acceleration and an initial velocity of the occupant, thus reducing the loads due to the side impact.
  
  
  METHODS
  The assessment of the potential is done by numerical simulations and a full-vehicle crash test. The optimal parameters of the restraint system including the precrash movement, time-to-fire of head and side airbag, etc., are found using metamodel-based optimization methods by minimizing occupant loads according to European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The metamodel-based optimization approach is able to tune the restraint system parameters. The numerical simulations show a significant averaged reduction of 22.3% in occupant loads.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that the lateral precrash occupant movement offers better occupant protection in side collisions.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Automotive Technology, Technische Universität München , Garching , Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hierlinger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lienkamp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Unselt
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017278:Air Bags; D001336:Automobiles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans
keywords: integral safety; occupant movement; precrash; side impact; vehicle safety