This document defines various automotive crash and safety terms and concepts. It discusses vehicle classifications, weight classifications, crashworthiness requirements, and injury reference points like H-point and R-point. It also covers topics like vehicle coordinate systems, deformable crash structures, restraint systems, and anthropometric test devices that represent human characteristics and percentiles.

1. AUTOMOTIVE CRASH & SAFETY TERMNOLOGIES
Dr. Rohit Singh Lather, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, NCU

2. DEFINITIONS
• Automotive Crash
Crash is an unprecedented event occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road
debris or other stationary obstruction such as trees, poles etc.
The result of crash is death, injuries, damage and financial loss
• Crashworthiness
The crashworthinessis a science of optimizingvehicle structure that can absorb the crash energy by controlled
vehicle deformations while maintainingadequate space so that the residual crash energy can be managed by the
restraint systemsto minimize crash loads transfer to the vehicle occupants

3. • Deformable, yet stiff, front structure with crumple zones to absorb the crash
• Deformable rear structure to maintain integrity of the rear passenger compartment and protect the fuel tank
• Properly designed side structures and doors to minimize intrusion in side impact and prevent doors from opening
due to crash loads
• Strong roof structure for rollover protection
• Properly designed restraint systems that work in harmony with the vehicle
• Structure to provide the occupant with optimal ride down and protection in different interior spaces and trims
CRASHWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS

4. VEHICLE COORDINATE SYSTEM
Source:https://law.resource.org/pub/us/cfr/ibr/005/sae.j1100.2001.html
CoordinateDimension - All points ofinterests are described as coordinates dimensioned from the intersection of
the zero planes in the three-dimensional reference system

5. VEHICLE WEIGHT
• UNLADEN WEIGHT
The weight of the vehicle in running order, unoccupied and unladen but complete with fuel, coolant, lubricant,
tools and a spare wheel
• LADEN WEIGHT
The Laden weight is sum of unladen weight of vehicle and weight of passengers
Laden weight = unladen weight + weight of the passengers (taking 75 kg per passenger)
• GVWR (THE GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING)
The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), or gross vehicle mass (GVM) is the maximum operating weight of vehicle
as specified by the manufacturer including the vehicle's chassis, body, engine , engine fluids, fuel, accessories,
driver, passengers and cargo but excluding that of any trailers

6. VEHICLE CLASSIFICATIONS
Classifications are made both according to vehicle use definitions and to interior seating dimensions
• Passenger Car
Vehicles with motive power, except multipurpose passenger vehicles, motorcycles, or trailers, designed for
carrying 10 persons or less
• Station Wagon
Passenger Cars with an extended upper to increase the cargo and/or passenger capacity
• Hatchback
• Passengers Cars with the rear access door encompassing the back light
• Multipurpose, Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
Vehicles with motive power, except trailers, designed to carry 10 persons or less, which are constructed either on
a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation

7. • Truck
Vehicles with motive power, except a trailer, designed primarily for the transportation of property or special-
purpose equipment
• Light Truck
• Classification of self-propelled vehicles which are designed primarily to transport property or special- purpose equipment, and
have a maximum gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4536 kg or less
• Heavy Truck
Classification of self-propelled vehicles which are designed primarily to transport property or special purpose equipment, and
have a gross vehicle weight rating over 4536 kg
Heavy Truck—Classification of self-propelled vehicles which are designed primarily to transport property or special purpose
Two distinct vehicle groupings are derived according to driver seating arrangement dimensions
- Class A Vehicles
- Class B Vehicles

8. EEC VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION
Vehicle Category Vehicle Purpose Seat Mass (Tonn)
Category M:
Motor vehicles with at
least four wheels
designed and constructed
for the carriage of
passengers
M1 Designed and constructed for the
carriage of passengers
no more than eight seats in
addition to the driver's seat.
M2 Designed and constructed for the
carriage of passengers
comprising more than eight seats
in addition to the driver's seat
Maximum mass not
exceeding 5 tonnes
M3 Designed and constructed for the
carriage of passengers
comprising more than eight seats
in addition to the driver's seat
Maximum mass
exceeding 5 tonnes
Category N:
Motor vehicles with at
least four wheels
designed and constructed
for the carriage of goods
N1 Designed and constructed for the
carriage of goods
Maximum mass not
exceeding 3,5 tonnes
N2 Designed and constructed for the
carriage of goods
Maximum mass
exceeding 3,5 tonnes but
not exceeding 12 tonnes
N3 Designed and constructed for the
carriage of goods
Maximum mass
exceeding 12 tonnes

9. Vehicle Category Purpose Seat Mass (Tonn)
Category O
Trailers (including semi-
trailers)
O1 Trailers Maximum mass not exceeding 0.75 tonnes
O2 Trailers Maximum mass exceeding 0,75 tonnes but not
exceeding 3.5 tonnes
O3 Trailers Maximum mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not
exceeding 10 tonnes
O4: Trailers Maximum mass exceeding 10 tonnes
• Category M: vehicles carrying passengers
• Category N: vehicles carrying goods
• Category L: vehicles with less than four wheels
• Category T: agricultural and forestry tractors and their trailers

10. FMVSS VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION
Classification Definition
Passenger car A motor vehicle with motive power, except a low-speed vehicle, multipurpose passenger vehicle,
motorcycle, or trailer, designed for carrying 10 persons or less
Multipurpose passenger vehicle A motor vehicle with motive power, except a low-speed vehicle or trailer, designed to carry 10 persons
or less which is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road
operation
Truck A motor vehicle with motive power, except a trailer, designed primarily for the transportation of
property or special purpose equipment
Bus A motor vehicle with motive power, except a trailer, designed for carrying more than 10 persons
Motorcycle A motor vehicle with motive power having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel
on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground
Motor driven cycle A motorcycle with a motor that produces 5 brake horsepower or less
Trailer A motor vehicle with or without motive power, designed for carrying persons or property and for being
drawn by another motor vehicle
Low-speed vehicle A motor vehicle, that is 4-wheeled, whose speed attainable in 1 mile (1.6 km) is more than 20 miles per
hour (32 kilometers per hour) and not more than 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour) on a paved
level surface, and whose GVWR is less than 3,000 pounds (1,361 kilograms)
Source: New Manufacturers Handbook - Requirements for Manufacturers of Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Equipment
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations

11. BIW (BODY IN WHITE) TERMINOLOGY
Sill
Crash Box Long Member
B Pillar
C Pillar
A Pillar

12. Fire Wall
Crash Box
Tunnel
Floor
Cross Member

14. H POINT & R POINT
• H-point (Hip point) is the theoretical, relative location of an occupant's hip, specifically the pivot point between
the torso and upper leg portions of the body, either relative to the floor of the vehicle or relative to the height
above pavement level. Technically, the measurement uses the hip joint of a 50th percentile male occupant,
viewed laterally.
• R-point (Seating Reference Point) is the theoretical hip point used by manufacturers when designing a vehicle and
more specifically describes the relative location of the seated dummy's hip point, when the seat is set in the
rearmost and lowermost seatingposition.

15. • ANTHROPOMETRY
Anthropometry describes the geometric dimensions and proportions of the human being.
• ANTHROPOMORPH (->ATD / ANTROP. TEST DEVICE)
Human adequate properties (movability, deformability, properties of inertia)
• PERCENTILE
The percentile indicates the part of population which is taken into account. e.g. The HIII 50% represents that 50%
part of population