Advancing Neck Injury Prediction in Car Crashes using the SAFER HBM

Research Project, 2023 – 2027

Purpose and goal: This project aims to improve the advanced human model SAFER HBM, to make it capable of predicting neck injury risks for a variety of injury types and situations. Potential neck injuries in car accidents ranges from fractures and dislocations in high-severity crashes to the more frequent soft tissue injuries, often called whiplash injuries. The overall goal is an advanced tool for the development and assessment of passenger protection of future automated vehicles.

Expected results and effects: An enhanced cervical spine for the SAFER HBM and associated injury prediction functions at tissue level are central in modelling the response of an occupant in regular upright sitting posture, as well as for future seating variations and occupant kinematics in automated vehicles. It contributes to SAFER HBM becoming an established global tool, which helps the Swedish partners to strengthen their leading positions in vehicle safety. Furthermore, these improvements serve to make the SAFER HBM a preferred tool for Virtual Testing consumer information protocols around the world.

Approach and implementation: The project develops and integrates a detailed cervical spine model with associated methodology for injury prediction. The model will mainly be improved with regard to the anatomy of the cervical spine and biofidelity, injury risk prediction measures for different injury types, simulation robustness for a large number of crash situations and passenger seating positions, as well as refined scaling methodology for the diversity perspective. The basis for the improvements will be from scientific publications and transferred into simulation models.