Title: Barrier collision tests of 50cc commuter cars

Authors: H. Sakai, T. Yoshino, M. Morisawa

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. ' Faculty of Engineering, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. ' Faculty of Engineering, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract: Recently, there has been a marked increase in the production of 50cc commuter cars. Some of these commuter cars use Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) as lightweight material for structural members of their bodies, but collision characteristics of FRP cars are still not well known. We have manufactured, on a trial basis, two 50cc commutercars (one-seater cars) with FRP bodies of different collision characteristics for testing the behavior of both car and occupant, namely the driver, at the time of barrier collision. And in order to compare the results of tests with those of existing compact cars. The results of our tests indicate that the FRP bodies of commuter cars are adequately safe, provided that some problems can be solved effectively.

Keywords: anthropometric dummies; barrier collision tests; commuter cars; fibre reinforced plastics; FRP; new materials; safety; vehicle design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1986.061164

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1986 Vol.7 No.5/6, pp.49 - 62

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

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