Abstract
Keywords: car body, test method, regulations
Research and development tests of passenger car body in the car design phase may be performed both in laboratory and/or in real usage conditions. These tests can help to significantly shorten the time to market of a vehicle modification or a new vehicle model. Standard laboratory tests of car body are mainly related to body design, installation of the equipment to the body, and the equipment itself.
Type approval tests. International regulations are uniform in describing criteria for type approval tests of vehicles and their parts and assemblies. Each Regulation covers strictly defined problem area, in association with appropriate test methods, and vehicle manufacturer is deemed to align with it. Type approval tests of passenger car body structure with respect to vehicle inner space at barrier impact was separately analysed in the paper.
ECE Regulations No. 12, 32 and 33 are of particular importance in estimating the validity of body structure of a car. The main purpose of these Regulations was to define impact test procedure which will provide information on deformations arising at collision of vehicles. These tests are usually executed by impact of complete vehicle against stationary barrier at different speeds or by impact of moving barrier against test vehicle. Test is realised on special test ground equipped with the launching system.