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In order to reduce the amount of EEG collected by the fatigue driving monitoring system, this paper proposes a new EEG monitoring method based on compressed sensing. According to the driver's driving duration, the new proposed method adopts different sampling rate to compressive sample the EEG of the driver in different driving stages, and then realizes the accurate reconstruction of the compressed EEG data in the computer of vehicle. The experiment verifies effectiveness of the proposed method by collecting EEG signals from multiple subjects during simulated driving. The experimental results show that, compared with traditional sampling, the new method reduces the amount of sampled data by 3 orders of magnitude. And when the compression ratio is not higher than 70%, the reconstruction error is less than 0.16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigated mental workload and fatigue of the drivers using EEG. • Conducted experiments in authentic driving environments involving 39 participants. • Revealed higher mental workload on local street with heavy traffic and highway. • Mental fatigue index was correlated with the mental workload indexes. • Established that drivers with more experience exhibited lower mental workload. The safety and performance of automobile drivers depend on many factors. The mental status of the drivers is the foremost factor in ensuring driving safety, in addition to physical elements. Studies with drivers are generally conducted in driving simulators or with scenarios close to actual driving. This study investigated the mental workload of drivers by analyzing electroencephalography data recorded in totally spontaneous real driving tasks, to determine the effect of different road conditions and driving experience. Two mental workload indexes (Frontal Theta/Parietal Alpha and Frontal Midline Theta) and a mental fatigue index (Alpha + Theta/Beta) were calculated using the band powers. Drivers were found to experience a higher mental workload in road sections with heavy traffic and variable road parameters by analyzing EEG data in real traffic. The correlation coefficients between the fatigue index and the two workload indexes were found to be 0.577 and 0.678, respectively. The workload decreased with increasing driving experience. Therefore, having experienced drivers perform commercial driving tasks can ensure safer driving. By employing novel methods to handle real-world EEG data, autonomous driving systems can also benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over forty thousand people die in motor vehicle crashes in the United States each year, and over two million are injured. The careful deployment Of driving automation systems could prevent many of these deaths and injuries, but only if it is accompanied by effective regulation. Conventional vehicle safety standards are inadequate because they can only test how technology performs in a controlled environment. To assess the safety of a driving automation system, regulators must observe how it performs in a range of unpredictable, real world edge cases. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is trying to adapt by experimenting with a novel regulatory strategy. Instead of setting standards, the agency is using its statutory powers in unprecedented ways-ordering automation developers to report crashes daily and directing rapid recalls that require changes to defective software. NHTSA is betting that intense monitoring and the credible threat of recalls will push developers to prioritize safety. This Article argues that NHTSA's experimental strategy could be transformed into effective safety regulation. Regulators should (1) require that all new vehicles be equipped with telematics that can send safety data and receive software updates over the air: (2) mandate universal crash reporting; and (3) use recalls to force developers of driving automationsystems that create unreasonable risks to restrict where their systems can operate until they can develop safer code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the technology for high-performance automobiles is developing rapidly together with the significant growth of the automobile industry in modern society, customer demand for automobile safety is increasing accordingly, and thus the development of safety products is gaining momentum. The brake system is indispensable for safe driving of the automobile, and malfunction or disorder of the brake system can lead to serious accident, resulting in injury or death. Meanwhile, if the brake system can be monitored on a real-time basis, such monitoring system can notify drivers of dangerous circumstance, like excessive wear of brake pad, or overheating of brake disc. However, in the case of high-performance/oversize automobiles, frequent or sudden braking during summer causes disc temperature to rise above 600 °C, which affects the useful life of the sensor. In contrast, there has not yet been a breakthrough for the sensor that can be used in a condition that exceeds 600 °C. Based on the heat transfer theory, we have developed the sensor in this study that normally works under the temperature exceeding 600 °C and verified that the sensor works normally under the temperature of ≥825 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle active safety system is the hotspot of current research and development, and the road adhesion coefficient is one of the essential parameters in the development of automobile active safety system, which plays a pivotal role in automobile safety. To improve the real-time performance and accuracy of the road adhesion coefficient, this paper proposes different control methods and compares and analyzes them. To accurately estimate the road adhesion coefficient in real-time, an eight-degree-of-freedom vehicle model was adopted in this paper. According to the tire torque and wheel speed, the adhesion coefficient was estimated based on the second-order nonlinear extended state observer. The experimental data, such as slip rate, using the improved tire model, is based on the recursive least squares method with forgetting factor and fuzzy logic algorithm real-time of tire-road friction coefficient estimation. The results show that the observer can effectively observe utilisation adhesion coefficient, and both control algorithms can estimate the road adhesion coefficient in real-time, effectively and quickly. On different roads, the use of the recursive least squares algorithm resulted in higher estimation accuracy, better robustness, and better control effect than using a fuzzy logic algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study aims to increase the attention of drivers to ensure the safety of pedestrians through a three-dimensional (3D) crosswalk design and to provide the zones of error identified by the lane deviation system as a reference for development. • Compared to two-dimensional (2D) signs, three-dimensional (3D) crosswalks are more likely to catch commuters' attention. • 3D crosswalks with the same color temperature have a positive significant effect on females. • The best result was obtained from the combination of yellow light-facing and red-shaded sides for the 3D crosswalk. Distracted driving tests the design of traffic signs and promotes a wide range of safety developments for automobiles, making the visual effects of driving extremely important. Therefore, this study aims to increase the attention of drivers to ensure the safety of pedestrians through a three-dimensional (3D) crosswalk design and to provide the zones of error identified by the lane deviation system as a reference for development. Crosswalk design will be tested with regards to two factors: light and shadow (light-facing vs. shaded) and color (monochrome vs. two-color), for the purpose of creating 3D crosswalk samples. Through a driving environment that simulates the outdoor color temperature, a visual psychological experiment was conducted on 30 subjects to test their visual attention and inclination to brake. The results of multivariate analysis of variance show that within the same color temperature, subjects with driving experience had a significant reaction to the 3D crosswalk, with this response being stronger among females when analyzed in terms of gender. Among the test samples used in the study, the best result was obtained from the combination of yellow light-facing and red-shaded sides for the 3D crosswalk as in addition to increasing drivers' attention, it can reduce the incorrect identification of the lane deviation system caused by the color white. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of autonomous driving technology, the ESP (Electronic stability program) has been widely used in the vehicle field. The safety and stability of vehicle driving have always been a particularly important issue. The complexity of electronic control systems makes it impractical to conduct online electrical performance testing on real vehicles in research and development. In this paper, a new signal simulation method for the ESP dynamic electrical performance testing is proposed by comparing the HIL (Hardware-in-the-loop) simulation methods for vehicles and analyzing the impact of the ESP on vehicle safety and stability. To begin with, a comprehensive structural design scheme for the HIL simulation platform which is proposed by analyzing the ESP structure and control principle. Then, the principle of lateral acceleration and yaw rate that is generated by vehicle which is analyzed, and a three-dimensional model of the combined simulation device was built. Subsequently, the physical development of the simulation device was completed. Finally, the feasibility of the simulation device was verified. The experimental results indicate that the simulation device can generate continuous lateral acceleration and yaw rate signals. With the motor rotation changes, the generated signal error is different. But the generated overall error is relatively small. Therefore, the simulation device can meet the usage requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The speed of test vehicles on the high-speed car track of the automobile test field is very high. Reducing the construction error of asphalt pavement is very important to ensure the safety of the test vehicle. In order to realize the paving of asphalt concrete pavement with super-large lateral inclination in the curve section of the high-speed car track in the automobile test field, a special paving control device and control method for the construction on the curve section with super-large lateral inclination were developed. Use the direction of the hanging hammer under the GPS device of paver to adjust the position of GPS device in real time, so that the geometric centre line of GPS device is always perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The reference control line is preset in the paver operation control device, and the lateral displacement deviation of the paver is adjusted to synchronize the data of the paver control device with the travel route. The precise control of the paver's forward route is realized, the construction precision of the super-large inclined asphalt pavement on the high-speed car track of the automobile test field is achieved, and the construction efficiency is greatly improved. It has important reference value for similar projects such as automobile testing field and racing track. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under low-speed collision conditions, the thin-walled structures located at the forepart of passenger car act as a significant energy absorber, which can reduce the injury degree of passengers in collision accidents. Therefore, the design of thin-walled structures is particularly important in automobile body development. High stiffness and strength contribute to structural integrity, but the resulting large collision force will be detrimental to occupant safety. To address this issue, the paper proposed a novel negative Poisson ratio thin-walled tube (NPR-TWT). In addition, the second-order sensitivity-based response surface models (SB-RSMs) were established to improve the efficiency of design optimization. Furthermore, the NPR-TWT was optimized by using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to enhance its comprehensive performance. The results showed that the optimized NPR-TWT could absorb collision energy by sufficient displacement deformation and reduce the peak impact force. It can provide theoretical and practical guidance for the application of thin-walled structures in automobile body safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring tire condition plays a deterministic role in the overall safety and economy of an automobile. The tire condition monitoring system (TCMS) alerts the driver of the vehicle if the inflation pressure of a particular tire decreases below a specific value. Owing to the high costs involved in realizing this system, most vehicles do not feature this technology as a standard. With highly robust and accurate sensors making their way into an increasing number of applications, obtaining signals of varied types (especially vibration signals) is becoming easier and more modularized. In addition, feature-based machine learning techniques that enable accurate responses to varied input conditions have sought greater scientific attention. However, deep learning is gradually finding greater applications pertaining to condition monitoring. One approach of deep learning is presented in this paper, which instantaneously monitors the vehicle tire condition. For this purpose, vibration signals were obtained through the rotation of the tire under different inflation pressure conditions using a low-cost microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prospective customers are becoming more concerned about safety and comfort as the automobile industry swings toward automated vehicles (AVs). A comprehensive evaluation of recent AVs collision data indicates that modern automated driving systems are prone to rear-end collisions, usually leading to multiple-vehicle collisions. Moreover, most investigations into severe traffic conditions are confined to single-vehicle collisions. This work reviewed diverse techniques of existing literature to provide planning procedures for multiple vehicle cooperation and collision avoidance (MVCCA) strategies in AVs while also considering their performance and social impact viewpoints. Firstly, we investigate and tabulate the existing MVCCA techniques associated with single-vehicle collision avoidance perspectives. Then, current achievements are extensively evaluated, challenges and flows are identified, and remedies are intelligently formed to exploit a taxonomy. This paper also aims to give readers an AI-enabled conceptual framework and a decision-making model with a concrete structure of the training network settings to bridge the gaps between current investigations. These findings are intended to shed insight into the benefits of the greater efficiency of AVs set-up for academics and policymakers. Lastly, the open research issues discussed in this survey will pave the way for the actual implementation of driverless automated traffic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning systems have become integrated into some of the most vital decision-making aspects of humanity, including hiring decisions, loan applications, and automobile safety, to name just a few. As applications increase in both gravity and complexity, the data quality and algorithmic interpretability of the systems must rise to meet those challenges. This is especially vital for navigating the nuances of health care, particularly among the high stakes of surgical operations. In addition to inherent ethical challenges of enabling a "black box" system to influence decision-making in patient care, the creation of biased datasets leads to biased algorithms with the power to perpetuate discrimination and reinforce disparities. Transparency and responsibility are paramount to the implementation of artificial intelligence in surgical decision-making and autonomous robotic surgery. Machine learning has been permeating health care across diverse clinical and surgical contexts but continues to face sizable obstacles, including apprehension from patients and providers alike. To integrate the technology fully while upholding standard of care and patient-provider trust, one must acknowledge and address the ethical, financial, and legal implications of using artificial intelligence for patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automobile sector is growing day by day due to the globalization and the urbanization. Further, the luxury life of human beings leads to the new development in the production of automobiles. Consumers are looking for fuel economy with safety features in automobiles. Hence, the weight reduction and strength performance of components play major role in manufacturing of automobiles. In this current investigation, we tried to develop new composite materials with light weight and better thermal and mechanical characteristics using natural and synthetic fibers. Totally, six types of composites were manufactured, namely, Epoxy/Banyan, Epoxy/Glass, Epoxy/Flax, Epoxy/Banyan/Flax, Epoxy/Banyan/Glass, and Epoxy/Flax/Glass by conventional hand layup method by keeping matrix-to-fiber ratio as 60:40. Mechanical and thermal characteristics of the composites were examined. Based on the thermal behavior of composites, Epoxy/Banyan composite was selected as the suitable candidate for thermal insulation applications in automobile industries as exhibited least thermal conductivity of 0.112 W/mK. Further, the mechanical characteristics were tested for Epoxy/Banyan composite. Results displayed the properties as: tensile strength − 75 MPa; flexural strength − 113 MPa; impact strength − 12.8 kJ/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an observational before/after evaluation of the safety effects of edge-lane road (ELR) (also known as advisory bike lanes or advisory shoulders) installations in the United States. An ELR is a class of roadway that supports two-way automobile traffic within a single center lane and vulnerable road users (VRUs), i.e., bicyclists or pedestrians, in the edge lanes on either side. The use of a single lane by automobile users traveling in both directions is often a cause of potential safety concerns among the general public. This study employs a project-level empirical Bayes (EB) approach to before/after safety analysis for all US ELR sites where requisite crash data and other relevant characteristics were available. The analysis at 11 sites was performed with 8 years of crash data and more than approximately 60 million motor vehicle trips. Project-level EB analysis based on safety performance functions (SPFs) showed 8 of 11 ELR sites experienced a reduction in crash experience since installation. There was a ∼44% reduction in crashes among all sites compared to the expected crashes on the traditional two-lane two-way design that existed before ELR installation. This estimation assumed the calibration factor for all SPFs used in the EB analysis was 1.0. Because of the geographical spread of the ELRs being analyzed in this study, estimation of specific calibration factors for all 11 sites was beyond the scope of this work. To address this limitation, we conservatively assumed the SPF calibration factors to be 0.50 for locations for which calibration factors were not available. This assumption was made for 7 of the 11 sites. Even with this conservative assumption, the ELRs were estimated to have a ∼36% crash reduction. The results from this comprehensive evaluation of existing US ELRs should alleviate concerns the general public often has about the safety of ELRs for automobile users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axial folding of metal tubes has been renowned over ages as a superb energy-absorbing method. High-volume industrial items like automobiles, trains, and other sectors where energy must be absorbed in a controlled manner during a crush situation are using components based on this concept. From the perspective of passenger automobile safety design, it is crucial and anticipated to investigate crushing energy absorption. These are thoroughly investigated experimentally and computationally how aluminium foam-filled sections behave when compressed axially. To represent quasi-static test circumstances, nonlinear dynamic finite element studies are conducted. It is discovered that the predicted crushing force and fold formation are rather similar to the experimental facts. The mean crushing force of the foam-filled sections is calculated using straightforward closed-form methods based on the computational models. It is shown that the increase in the mean crushing force of a full column increases linearly with the cross-sectional area and foam compressive resistance. The proposal, for a variety of column designs, materials, and foam strengths, has been within 8% of the experimental data. Ultimately, the results highlight the advantages of using concentric cylindrical tubes to absorb impact energy in circumstances with axial loads. It only understands well how control the absorbed energy by using the geometrical features of such structures. The purpose of this study is to suggest design solutions on how to use concentric cylindrical tubes in energy absorption applications like crash-worthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to describe and analyse a mechanical device designed to enhance the safety of the automobile. The topic is mainly focused on analysing how to absorb kinetic energy during a collision with an obstacle. Though the vehicle has a crumple zone there should be an impact attenuator to improve the crashworthiness, the survey says that 60% of accidents happen in the frontal crumple zone, this paper analyses opportunities to convert automobile's kinetic energy into another type of energy in the case of collision. The energy-absorbing device described in the present article incorporates the hydraulic, pneumatic and mechanical mechanisms. For this purpose, various mechanical, hydraulic dampers are normally used. Such components are designed to absorb the impact energy and reduce or eliminate its impact on the driver, the passengers in the motor vehicle and are typically referred to as additional elements of safety to the passenger. The position for the hydro-mechanical device is fixed in the crumple zone, the design is implemented into the crash analysis software after various dynamic calculations and the crashworthiness is calculated and by the result the alteration is made and the impact drop test is performed on the system. The main aim of this project is to improve the crashworthiness of the crumple zone in the passenger vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE) has developed new aspects of its WP.29 agreement for harmonising vehicle regulations, focusing on the regulation of vehicle manufacturers' approaches to ensuring vehicle cyber security by requiring implementation of an approved cyber security management system (CSMS). This paper investigates the background, framework and content of WP.29's cyber security regulation. We provide an overall description of the processes required to become certified, discuss key gaps, issues and the impacts of implementation on stakeholders, and provide recommendations for manufacturers and the authorities who will oversee the operation. Putting the discussion into a broader theoretical framework on risk certification, we explore to the role of non-academic sources to shape public risk perception and to drive, for better or worse, legislative responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical elastic wheel (MEW) has the advantage of explosion-proof, which helps to guarantee the safety and maneuverability of the automobile. Aiming to improve the stability of vehicles matching with MEW, this paper proposes an integrated control strategy that combines the active front steering and the active suspension systems. The integrated controller consists of feed-forward and feedback controllers. Firstly, the differential flatness system of the vehicle is constructed concerning the coupling among yaw, lateral, and roll motion. And the flatness based feed-forward control inputs of the desired front wheel angle and active roll moment are derived. At the same time, the backstepping-adaptive feedback controllers for yaw rate and roll angle are designed. Then, the feed-forward and feedback controllers are coordinated and their weight coefficients are adjusted according to the sideslip angle. Furthermore, this paper also adopts a nonlinear disturbance observer to estimate the vertical load of MEW. The influence of the vertical load is fully considered when estimating the equivalent cornering stiffness of each MEW, so as to realize the online adjustment of the controller parameters. Finally, the maneuver tests of step input steering and double lane change are simulated, respectively. The results show that the proposed control strategy yields a better control effect than the fuzzy-PID controller, and the performance of the vehicle matching with MEW has been significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the safety and efficiency of vehicle travel, this paper proposes a traffic accident obstacle avoidance path planning method based on vehicle networking. Set the road condition information collection range and standard, use the vehicle networking technology to collect the road condition information around the vehicle, define the safe driving distance in combination with the state of the vehicle and obstacles, and take this as the standard to estimate the state of the target vehicle and obstacles on the current path at the next time through the time difference. The optimal state path is taken as the driving path at the next time. Simulation results show that this method can effectively avoid static and dynamic obstacles and improve the safety of automobile traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade-in program is a widely used way for recycling waste products. Similarly, a large number of automobile producers have launched trade-in-for new fuel cars or trade-in-for new energy vehicles to replacement consumers. We consider a two-period dynamic game problem and analyze the impact of the consumer anxiety behavior and the policy substitution effect on the customers' selection behavior, and the automobile producer's optimal pricing strategy. The results show that in the basic model, short-sighted customers' choices are diverse. In addition, both the consumer anxiety behavior and the policy substitution effect influence the producer's profit. In the extension models, it exists a threshold of the additional innovation level. When the additional innovation level is larger than the threshold value, automobile producers adopt the dynamic pricing strategy. Otherwise, they adopt the preannounce pricing strategy. Moreover, it exists a threshold of the additional innovation level. When it is larger than the threshold value, automobile producers adopt the single rollover strategy. Otherwise, they adopt the dual rollover strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem that the uncertain actuator failures occurred in automobile driving robots could not drive the mechanical leg to work normally and could affect the safety of automobile during driving, an adaptive fault-tolerant control method was proposed, The basic feedback controller was designed based on Back stepping to ensure the desired performance of the mechanical leg, and the failure compensation controllers were designed according to each failure case, By defining the failure indication function, the multiple controllers were combined based on weight fusion algorithm to form a comprehensive controller, Based on the adaptive method, the parameters of the integrated controller were updated, The feasibility and performance of the proposed control strategy were validated by the numerical simulation results, The results show that the proposed control method can ensure the stable control system and can asymptotically track the given control signal when one uncertain failure occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a methodology to evaluate a rescue and training phantom for road rescuing organized by Police officers. The methodology is exemplified by the Crash Kelly phantom, static and dynamic functionalities of which seem to be more frequently implemented in the road safety training processes. It stems from a morphological analysis, focusing on the quality of rescue activities, emergency resources' adequacy and the training levels. In addition, experts' evaluation allows to examine phantoms using 6 practically determined criteria, expressing their strengths and weaknesses in analysed context. The results introduce Crash Kelly as a reference training equipment for Police officers dedicated to rescue victims after the road accidents. Basing on the research results, practical training guidelines are formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new dynamic modeling of a vehicle by considering the engine dynamics. By selecting the vehicle coordinate system as the reference frame, all the force-torque equations of the sprung mass and unsprung masses are derived in this coordinate system by using the Newton's equations of motion. Unlike the previous researches, in this work the sprung mass of the vehicle is not considered as a rigid body. The dynamics of the sprung mass components, such as gyroscopic effects of the engine crankshaft, is considered. In order to study the vehicle's dynamic behavior, in the J-turn maneuver, the governing equations of the full-car model are evaluated and validated by the numerical simulation method and ADAMS/Car software. Based on the results, the maximum roll angle and roll rate of a vehicle reach about 8 degrees and 40 degrees per second, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents results of scientific and experimental studies of the authors on operation of the tank equipment for ultrasonic purification of exhaust gases of internal combustion engines designed to reduce environmental pollution. The scheme of the experimental device implementing the principle of the tank equipment operation for ultrasonic cleaning of the motor vehicles exhaust gases is presented; the obtained experimental data of ultrasonic coagulation processes were processed and analyzed. Empirical relationships of the coagulation coefficient and its rate of change are derived from experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modelling of vehicle's motion is one of the solutions applied in the research of automotive safety. There is always a discussion which model should be used for computer simulation. Models with higher number of degrees of freedom require identification of many parameters, which are usually difficult to obtain. So, very often relatively simple flat model of vehicle's motion is applied. It needs only such parameters as mass of a vehicle, location of centre of gravity from front and rear axle, yaw mass moment of inertia and side slip characteristics of the front and rear axle. In this paper the upper mentioned model was applied, considering different side slip characteristics of the front and rear axle. The scenario of vehicle's motion was based on random changes of steering wheel angle during the road test, recording signals from on-board CAN (Controller Area Network) bus of automobile simultaneously, which were further applied in simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of assessment and adoption of automotive tyre design specifications has not been addressed sufficiently in literature. This is in spite of its significance as a crucial component relevant to design and safety of the automobile. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization model of the tyre design trademark adoption decision is proposed. Multi-attribute or multi-criterion decision making techniques are heuristics providing good solution, but do not guarantee optimum solution. Up to date, there is no optimal yielding method for selection of vehicle tyre manufacturer or trademark based on prespecified design targets. The proposed model is formulated as a binary goal programming model for optimizing tyre trademark design selection decision by adopting an optimal tyre design trademark that best achieve design targets. The model is solved by the branch and bound algorithm. One advantage of the proposed model is flexibility to incorporate multiple design targets, tolerance limits and different constraints. The proposed model can support efficient and effective decision making concerning the adoption of tyre trademark design for new automobile or to re-adopt new design for new road vehicle operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Load path as a new analysis tool has been widely used in structural design and assessment of load-bearing performance, but it still lacks effective guidance for structural improvement. In this paper, a new structural improvement method of vehicle component based on the load path and load distribution analysis is proposed. Firstly, according to the structural function and design requirements, the potential regions and parameters need to be optimized are identified based on the load path and load distribution analysis using Ustar and U*sum indexes. Secondly, taking the smoother Ustar on the load path and more effective use of the materials as the design criteria, the optimization suggestions are given. Then, as a case study, a safety hook on an automobile is redesigned and the new structure is compared with the original design. The results show that the Ustar becomes smoother and U*sum becomes more uniform. In addition, the stiffness and strength of the safety hook are improved by 25.29 % and 23.44 %, respectively. Finally, the failure tests show that the ultimate load of the safety hook is enhanced by 13.72 %. The method provides clear and effective guidance for structural improvement from the perspective of load path and load distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deterioration of polymer materials can cause breakdown of various automobile parts during their life cycles, which is a threat to the safety of occupants. In the research described here various thermal stabilizers were incorporated into polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) blends, often used in automotive parts, to investigate the thermal degradation of PC/ABS as a function of mixing rate and mixing time and as a function of stabilizer type and content. A phenolic stabilizer, octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (S1) and two kinds of phosphite stabilizers, tris-(2,4-di-tert-butyl-phenyl phosphite) (S2) and bis(2,4-dicumylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite (S3) were used. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results showed that high mixing rates, over 2000 rpm, caused high shear heating, which brought about thermal degradation of the polymer blends. The S3 better prevented thermal degradation of the PC/ABS blends during high speed processing compared to the other stabilizers. Characterization of the mechanical properties of the blends prepared at a screw speed of 1000 rpm for 20 sec indicated decreases in elongation at break from 148% prior to processing to 63% for S1, 108% for S2 and 131% for S3, whereas the tensile strengths showed only slight changes. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicated that the size distribution of the dispersed phase was decreased with increasing screw speed and mixing time. The interfacial tension of the blends decreased with increasing mixing rate, whereas it did not exhibit significant change with increasing mixing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Door system plays a very important role in the domain of automobile passive safety. In order to improve its side crashworthiness, some affiliated impact components are assembled. Conventional impact parts can make the door system possess enough stiffness and strength so as to ensure the integrity of car body when side collision occurs. But for occupant protection, the excessive rigidity may increase the risk of occupant injury. To address this problem, this work first introduces a kind of negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) structure, and proposes a novel door system which is composed of NPR energy-absorbing block, NPR impact beam, inner panel, outer panel, and reinforcing plate. Next, parameter sensitivity analysis for each performance index is conducted to determine the corresponding variables when constructing the approximate model. Then, aiming at the disadvantages of the Technology for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and the Mean Square Deviation Method (MSDM) in processing performance index data, a novel integrated weighting method is used to determine the weighting coefficient of each performance index. Finally, considering side structural crashworthiness, occupant protection, and lightweight, the hierarchical optimization for the novel door system is conducted to further enhance its overall performance. The result demonstrates that compared with the conventional door, the optimal door can improve the performance of occupant protection and ensure the side crashworthiness more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of lightweight structure with great economic benefits, metal/composite hybrid structure is raising rapidly among automobile safety components due to its excellent anti‐collision performance. In this paper, a new design was developed by introducing an induced circular hole to improve the energy absorption performance of the AL/CFRP hybrid thin‐walled tubes under different loading conditions. Quasi‐static experiments and finite element simulation were carried out on the hybrid tubular sample with induced circular holes, and the crash resistance of the number and diameter of induced round holes under different loading angles (θ) of 0°,10°, 20°, and 30° was analyzed through the verified finite element model. The results showed that the induction hole can effectively reduce the peak load and improve the energy absorption characteristics of the hybrid thin‐walled tube under the axial (0°) load. Under the inclined load, the energy absorption capacity of all samples decreased to different degrees with increasing loading angle, and the induced hole changed the deformation mode of the hybrid tube, especially under the 30° loading angle. The complex proportional assessment is then implemented on the optimal structures, and specific energy absorption, peak crush force, and crush force efficiency were selected as the objective functions to improve the overall impact resistance under different loading angles. Considering three design cases, the AL/CFRP hybrid thin‐walled structure with three groups of induced holes are finally found as the best energy absorbing devices. The work in this paper can provide a guide for the design of advanced energy absorbing devices for arbitrary loading condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The graphical abstract showcases the Suzuki van and rear axle carrier, highlighting critical failure modes: less durability, faulty blank, hole position out, burred edges, and bore position out. The study applies design optimization, shear blade maintenance, and jig usage, resulting in substantial reductions in Risk Priority Number (RPN) values, enhancing rear axle housing reliability. [Display omitted] • Investigated the failures modes in design & manufacturing process of rear axle housing for automobiles. • Preparaed rating critera for severity, occurrence, detection of failure modes. • Based on above mentioned criteria RPN scores were calculated. • Corrective mesures were suggested for failure modes with RPN > 250. • Re-evaluted RPN scores after application of corrective measures. The safety of automobile design is crucial to protect drivers, passengers, and other road users, ensuring reliable performance, accident prevention, and regulatory compliance.The rear axle housing in automobiles serves as a protective enclosure for the rear axle assembly, providing support, protection, and structural integrity for the drivetrain components. This research paper employs Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to comprehensively identify and assess common failures in the design and manufacturing process of rear axle housings in automobiles. The study highlights five critical failure modes, namely less durability, faulty blank, hole position out, burred edges, and bore position out. Through the application of recommended solutions, including design optimization, maintenance of shear blades, and the use of jigs, substantial reductions in Risk Priority Number (RPN) values were achieved. Specifically, the RPN values for the aforementioned failure modes were significantly decreased from 280 to 40, 256 to 48, 378 to 21, 378 to 45, and 392 to 56, respectively. Implementation of these solutions promises several benefits, such as enhanced customer satisfaction, reduced failure rates, elevated product/process quality and reliability, streamlined processes, and optimized resource utilization. This study emphasizes the significance of continuous improvement efforts in the automotive industry and demonstrates the pivotal role of FMEA as an invaluable tool for achieving and sustaining these improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of assessment and adoption of automotive tyre design specifications has not been addressed sufficiently in literature. This is in spite of its significance as a crucial component relevant to design and safety of the automobile. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization model of the tyre design trademark adoption decision is proposed. Multi-attribute or multi-criterion decision making techniques are heuristics providing good solution, but do not guarantee optimum solution. Up to date, there is no optimal yielding method for selection of vehicle tyre manufacturer or trademark based on prespecified design targets. The proposed model is formulated as a binary goal programming model for optimizing tyre trademark design selection decision by adopting an optimal tyre design trademark that best achieve design targets. The model is solved by the branch and bound algorithm. One advantage of the proposed model is flexibility to incorporate multiple design targets, tolerance limits and different constraints. The proposed model can support efficient and effective decision making concerning the adoption of tyre trademark design for new automobile or to re-adopt new design for new road vehicle operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastomers such as gels and rubbers play various roles in our lives. Elastomers, which guarantee the safety of airplanes and automobiles and the stability of buildings, are materials that have made the lives of people in the twentieth century extremely convenient. The existence of macromolecules, that is, giant molecules, has been clarified; the development of synthetic macromolecules has progressed; and understanding of elastomers has progressed. By introducing new ideas, it has become possible to obtain tough and hard elastomers, which was difficult under conventional ideas. In this paper, we will explain the development from the classical theory of elastomers to current efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of automobile seat angle-adjuster directly affects the safety of automobiles. In order to improve the reliability of automobile seat angle-adjuster, the structure of seat angle-adjuster is optimised by bench test. The bench test of seat angle-adjuster is carried out in the light of the standard of enterprise and the seat angle-adjuster structure is improved based on the experimental results. The finite-element model of seat angle-adjuster is established according to parameters of seat angle-adjuster and the finite-element analysis is presented under the boundary conditions. The validity of finite-element model of seat angle-adjuster is verified by comparing the results of bench test with finite-element analysis. The reliability model of seat angle-adjuster system is established on the basis of relationship of key components. The reliability analysis of seat angle-adjuster is put forward based on stress strength interference model and competing risk theory. These results provide a technical support for the promotion of automobile seat angle-adjuster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As automotive embedded systems comprised of electronic control units (ECUs) connected via a controller area network (CAN) have continued to develop, the volume of information these systems are required to handle has also rapidly increased. Cyber attacks targeting vulnerable points of automotive embedded systems in particular are on the rise to hinder normal operation of a vehicle. However, adding security mechanisms to defend against attacks cannot neglect timing requirements in terms of vehicle safety. This is because it may lead to a violation of automobile safety. In short, both sides of this issue must be addressed from the outset of the system design stage to provide optimal security and safety. As a response to this pressing issue, we propose a novel and efficient scheme. The design optimization during the system design phase not only ensures all the real-time applications are executed within their deadline but also reduces the number of transmitted messages over the CAN bus. After optimization, we apply a hash message authentication code (HMAC) to specific messages, providing secure communication between ECUs and protecting against cyber attacks. Security analysis and experimental results prove that the proposed scheme can counter attacks on the CAN bus while meeting timing requirements. Therefore, our proposed scheme is effective in satisfying improvement of both safety and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In Spain, the percentage of old drivers (65 an over) has raised from 10.2% in 2007 to 14.3% in 2016. • Changes in crash serverity patterns in the driver's age of 75 years old are statistically significant. • Male drivers under 75 are more likely to be involved in serious and fatal accidents. • Gender differences in crash severity among old-older drivers (over 75) are not observed. • The expected crash cost can be more than five times higher for old-older drivers than drivers under 65. Introduction: This article analyzes the effect of driver's age in crash severity with a particular focus on those over the age of 65. The greater frequency and longevity of older drivers around the world suggests the need to introduce a possible segmentation within this group at risk, thus eliminating the generic interval of 65 and over as applied today in road safety data and in the automobile insurance sector. Method: We investigate differences in the severity of traffic crashes among two subgroups of older drivers –young-older (65–75) and old-older (75+), and findings are compared with the age interval of drivers under 65. Here, we draw on data for 2016 provided by Spanish Traffic Authority. Parametric and semi-parametric regression models are applied. Results: We identified the factors related to the crash, vehicle, and driver that have a significant impact on the probability of the crash being slight, serious, or fatal for the different age groups. Conclusions: We found that crash severity and the expected costs of crashes significantly increase when the driver is over the age of 75. Practical Applications : Our results have obvious implications for regulators responsible for road safety policies – most specifically as they consider there should be specific driver licensing requirements and driving training for elderly – and for the automobile insurance industry, which to date has not examined the impact that the longevity of drivers is likely to have on their balance sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses need for Arkansas' Supreme Court and the other relevant judicial rule-making bodies to allow admission of evidence of seat belt non-use for allocation of comparative fault. It mentions that continued judicial fence-sitting on the issue undermines both the state law requiring drivers to wear seat belts and the hard-won public recognition of their efficacy.

The article discusses the ambiguity of modern laws in the U.S. with respect to autonomous vehicles and driving under the influence (DUI). Also cited are the different levels of autonomy and the emerging technologies in autonomous cars, the possible safety benefits in using self-driving cars, and the tests used by the courts to determine actual physical control (APC) of vehicles.

Power and speed are transmitted by the gears in an automobile and the transmitting power and speed are influenced by the flatness of the spiral bevel gears used in gearboxes; consequently, the automobile's safety and comfort are affected by the gear transmission. Currently, artificial feeler method is used widely in the flatness detection of spiral bevel gear, and this method is simple to operate. However, the low accuracy and human error are the weakness of this method. Combining the laser plane generation technology, the laser detection technology and the embedded control theory, a new on-line detection method of flatness is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the laser plane generated by the laser plane generator is used as the datum of the measurement. Secondly, the position information is detected by the position sensitive detector (PSD). The position information is the height difference between measuring points and the laser plane. Thirdly, the system error is separated from the position information. Using least square method, the on-line detection of automobile gearbox spiral bevel gear flatness is realized by evaluating the data of flatness after error separation. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method is verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]