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Transportation Research Center Convenes Workshop On Crashworthiness Research for Automated Driving Systems

Transportation Research Center, North America’s most advanced independent mobility testing service provider, convened a workshop covering the latest research shaping safety and validation methods for vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS). 

TRC serves as manager of the Research Consortium for Crashworthiness in Automated Driving Systems (RCCADS), which brings together companies, trade groups, nonprofits, government agencies and universities to share research on safety in automated vehicles, including how new cabin configurations, seating positions and restraint systems may affect crash protection. 

Advanced research to understand occupant safety has become a critical priority as ADS continues to change vehicle design, seating configurations, and crash scenarios. 

The hybrid workshop was hosted at the University of Virginia, with a virtual option available for remote participants. 

The consortium gives the safety community a forum to move shared technical questions into research that can inform how ADS-equipped vehicles are evaluated, said Michelle Fowler, Director of Applied Research at TRC. 

“Automated driving systems are changing not only how vehicles move, but also how we think about occupant protection inside the cabin,” Fowler said. “This year’s workshop will look at how ADS technologies may affect real-world crash injury patterns by connecting field data with pre-crash and crash simulations.”  

This year’s program included technical presentations, project updates, and discussions focused on future crash modes, non-standard seating and restraints, biomechanical data, and injury-risk assessment.  

Session 1 featured:

• Linwei Zhang, Senior Research Engineer, CIC and CAERI
• Wenbo Sun, Assistant Research Scientist University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
• Krystoffer Mroz, Senior Researcher, Autoliv
• Yun Seok-Kang, Associate Professor, The Ohio State University 

Session 2 featured:

• Devon Albert, Research Assistant Professor, UMTRI
• Francisco Lopez-Valdes, Director of MOBIOS Lab, Comillas Pontifical University ICAI
• Zhaonan Sun, Principal Scientist, Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center
• Jason Forman, Associate Professor and Executive Director, University of Virginia 

Workshop Highlights: 

• Overview of the consortium mission, structure, membership value and research priorities. 

• Updates on previous and current RCCADS projects, including research exploring ADS effects on crash injury distribution through field data, pre-crash and crash simulations, as well as investigation of submarining risk in average females through experimental and computational modeling. (Submarining occurs when a passenger’s pelvis slides under the lap belt.) 

• Discussion of future RCCADS projects and the 2026 proposal and selection process, including the June 5 deadline to apply to be added as an RCCADS R&DI, the June 15 request for letters of intent, and the June 26 deadline for letters of intent. 
• Interactive Q&A opportunities for both in-person and virtual participants. 

 

RCCADS members include leading automakers, suppliers, government, and safety organizations. The consortium's research portfolio has delivered access to an average of approximately six times the amount of research paid for by members, and TRC shared information about introductory membership and research participation opportunities during the workshop.