Potential effectiveness of a stability control system for passenger cars after an initial side impact

Paper in proceeding, 2014

Vehicle multiple-event accidents constitute 1/4-1/3 of all severe accidents. The present paper studies the control of the vehicle’s abnormal motion after being hit by another vehicle. The potential effectiveness of such a stability control system is estimated through accident data analysis and vehicle dynamics simulation. Only side impacts were simulated, but engineering judgments were made to project the effectiveness potential prediction on the total traffic work. Assuming ESC-like control (closed loop control on yaw rate, using wheel brakes) it is found that the function has potential to mitigate accident for up to 10-9 cars per driven km, or up to 0.1% of the cars in the accident database. While assuming Post Impact Stability Control by steering (closed loop control on yaw angle and path deviation, using steering), the corresponding figures are approximately ten times higher.