自動(dòng)駕駛車輛的設(shè)計(jì)和座位配置明顯不同于傳統(tǒng)車輛，因此我們必須制定專門針對(duì)自動(dòng)駕駛汽車的準(zhǔn)確可靠的碰撞測(cè)試。對(duì)此，我們還有大量工作要做。
美國國家公路交通安全管理局（NHTSA）計(jì)劃將在日后更新其《新車評(píng)價(jià)規(guī)程》（NCAP），并出臺(tái)新的碰撞測(cè)試方案，這對(duì)于消費(fèi)者和出行安全系統(tǒng)行業(yè)而言，無疑是好消息。修訂后的NCAP規(guī)程很可能將加強(qiáng)乘客安全測(cè)試及自適應(yīng)巡航控制、自動(dòng)剎車等主動(dòng)安全測(cè)試。
這也有利于自動(dòng)駕駛汽車開發(fā)者。研究顯示，美國消費(fèi)者現(xiàn)在對(duì)自動(dòng)駕駛汽車依然存在抵制心理，這樣的測(cè)試可以贏得公眾對(duì)自動(dòng)駕駛汽車安全性的信任，繼而使其逐漸接受自動(dòng)駕駛汽車，拉動(dòng)消費(fèi)需求，為一個(gè)更安全的移動(dòng)出行的未來鋪平道路。
雖然將主動(dòng)安全納入測(cè)試規(guī)程確實(shí)是樹立了一個(gè)重要的先例，但這也只是冰山一角而已。令人惋惜的是，實(shí)踐表明，自動(dòng)駕駛汽車也會(huì)發(fā)生碰撞事故。自動(dòng)駕駛車輛的設(shè)計(jì)和座位配置明顯不同于傳統(tǒng)車輛，因此我們必須制定專門針對(duì)自動(dòng)駕駛汽車的準(zhǔn)確可靠的碰撞測(cè)試。對(duì)此，我們還有大量工作要做。盡管還要過上數(shù)年，這些設(shè)計(jì)才會(huì)出現(xiàn)在主流車型上，但我們必須現(xiàn)在就開始著手規(guī)范相應(yīng)測(cè)試。
乘客位置的難題
斜躺的座椅是首當(dāng)其沖的一個(gè)重大設(shè)計(jì)變更，對(duì)此必須制定全新的乘客碰撞測(cè)試。未來，在自動(dòng)駕駛車輛上，因?yàn)闊o需再注意路況，我們會(huì)更傾向于斜躺在座椅上休息，看電影甚至睡覺。哪怕是對(duì)座椅后背的角度做極其細(xì)微的調(diào)整，都會(huì)對(duì)乘客在發(fā)生碰撞時(shí)的安全產(chǎn)生重大影響。
假設(shè)一名乘客靠在傾斜角度為23°的座椅上，如果他把座椅調(diào)到33°或43°，看上去似乎和23°沒有太大的區(qū)別。但是如果發(fā)生碰撞，靠在23°、33°或43°的座椅上，該名乘客受傷的概率和嚴(yán)重程度會(huì)依次顯著上升。雖然現(xiàn)在的仿真測(cè)試假人（ATD）可以收集更多的傳感器數(shù)據(jù)，但是它們并不適用于自動(dòng)駕駛汽車的座椅設(shè)計(jì)。
新的座椅布局還帶來了另外一個(gè)挑戰(zhàn)。我們都在概念車型上見過自動(dòng)駕駛車輛的全新座椅布局。因?yàn)椴辉傩枰祟愸{駛員，也不需要人類注意路況，乘客可以像在火車?yán)镆粯用鎸?duì)面坐著。可旋轉(zhuǎn)的座椅是另外一項(xiàng)全新設(shè)計(jì)，乘客可以自行變換方向，以心儀的角度欣賞車外的風(fēng)景。
雖然這些新的布局足以喚起人們對(duì)未來自駕出行的美好暢想和憧憬之情，但它們也迫使我們必須對(duì)碰撞測(cè)試方案進(jìn)行大幅度修改。圓桌型或方桌型的座椅布局意味著，測(cè)試的重點(diǎn)將由以前的前向碰撞變?yōu)閭?cè)向或后向碰撞。因此，我們必須制定全新的碰撞測(cè)試規(guī)程，將這些重要場(chǎng)景包括進(jìn)去。
當(dāng)然，還有一些問題也亟待思考，比如新的安全帶、安全氣囊和座椅的研發(fā)問題。新的座椅布局將推動(dòng)整個(gè)安全系統(tǒng)行業(yè)的變革。供應(yīng)商需要重新設(shè)計(jì)產(chǎn)品，和整車企業(yè)合作修改約束，并開展測(cè)試，以確保車輛的耐撞性。
下一步是關(guān)鍵
移動(dòng)出行行業(yè)需要匯集最優(yōu)秀的人才和最具創(chuàng)意的想法，以建立和完善一套完整的針對(duì)自動(dòng)駕駛車輛的碰撞測(cè)試。盡管我們現(xiàn)在還缺乏一些重要的工具——如尚處于設(shè)計(jì)階段的適應(yīng)性仿真試驗(yàn)假人，但我們必須盡早采納新的NCAP測(cè)試方案。對(duì)于新測(cè)試，有許多目前就可以著手開展的工作，比如引入虛擬測(cè)試，在可靠的仿真環(huán)境中，測(cè)量乘客在不同場(chǎng)景下的碰撞事故中所受到的影響。
自動(dòng)駕駛的安全問題也為公私合作提供了一個(gè)寶貴的契機(jī)，企業(yè)和政府應(yīng)共同為改善測(cè)試群策群力。例如，政府在尸體碰撞測(cè)試上經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富，而企業(yè)在開發(fā)和實(shí)施物理和仿真測(cè)試上碩果累累，如果兩者能相互結(jié)合，那么勢(shì)必會(huì)大有裨益。
如果要孕育并拓展自動(dòng)駕駛汽車市場(chǎng)，我們不能只依靠美國帶領(lǐng)全球推動(dòng)技術(shù)創(chuàng)新。為了實(shí)現(xiàn)自動(dòng)駕駛汽車市場(chǎng)的蓬勃發(fā)展，我們有大量要做的工作，規(guī)范新的碰撞測(cè)試就是其中一個(gè)當(dāng)務(wù)之急。此外還需建立配套的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施和道路，出臺(tái)全國統(tǒng)一的自動(dòng)駕駛汽車監(jiān)管政策。
如果我們等到自動(dòng)駕駛技術(shù)發(fā)展以后再來制定碰撞測(cè)試規(guī)程，那便是大錯(cuò)特錯(cuò)了。盡管離自動(dòng)駕駛汽車稱霸道路還有些時(shí)日，但是整車企業(yè)為了讓自動(dòng)駕駛汽車最終上路整車，已經(jīng)樹立了一個(gè)又一個(gè)雄心勃勃的目標(biāo)。
如果現(xiàn)在忽視制定全新測(cè)試的必要性，將來定是亡羊補(bǔ)牢為時(shí)以晚，無數(shù)生命將陷于危險(xiǎn)，順便也將葬送全球自動(dòng)駕駛汽車市場(chǎng)的合作機(jī)會(huì)。
There is much work to be done in creating accurate, reliable tests for occupant crashworthiness tailored to new AV designs and seating configurations.
NHTSA’s plan to eventually update its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) with new crash-test protocols is good news for both consumers and the mobility safety-systems industry. A revised NCAP will likely feature enhanced occupant safety testing as well as testing of active-safety features such as adaptive cruise control and automatic braking.
It’s also a positive step for autonomous vehicle (AV) developers. Studies show U.S. consumers are still resistant to the idea of self-driving cars, and such testing will provide the public with assurances that these vehicles are safe. This should serve to “warm up” consumers to the idea of a world with AVs, boosting demand and paving the way for an increasingly safer mobility future.
While the inclusion of testing procedures for active safety features would set an important precedent, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Unfortunately, AVs have proven that they are not immune to crashes. There is much work to be done, particularly when it comes to creating accurate, reliable tests for occupant crashworthiness tailored to new AV designs and seating configurations. And even though such designs may still be a few years away from mainstream consumer adoption, it would be a mistake to wait.
Occupant-position challenges
Reclining seats are one of the first significant design changes that will demand a new set of occupant crashworthiness tests. We will be more apt to recline the seat in an AV because we won’t have to pay attention to the road; we may be watching a movie or even taking a nap. Even the slightest changes in backrest angle can have a significant impact on occupant susceptibility to injury in the event of a crash.
Let’s say an occupant is sitting in a car seat that has its backrest position set at 23 degrees. Reclining the seat to 33 or 43 degrees is not an extreme di?erence, yet the rate and severity of injury could increase significantly under each of these circumstances. While current anthropomorphic test dummies (ATDs) gather more sensor data than ever before, they are not designed for these new seating conditions.
New seating positions present another challenge. We’ve all seen the new seating layouts for AVs presented in concept cars. Passengers can sit facing one another, as in a railcar, because no one will need to drive or focus attention on the road. Rotatable seats are another new feature, allowing passengers to change their view and look at the surrounding scenery at any angle they prefer.
While seeing these new layouts may spark the imagination and excitement for future automotive travel, they too will require major crash-test protocol changes. Roundtable and quad seating positions mean that what was once a frontal crash is now essentially a side or rear crash. Entirely new crash testing procedures need to be developed to address these likely impact scenarios.
Of course, there are additional questions to ponder, such as the development of new seatbelts, airbags and seats. New seating positions will send a ripple e?ect of needed changes throughout the safety systems community. Suppliers will need to reconfigure their products and collaborate with vehicle OEMs to modify restraints and conduct tests to ensure vehicle crashworthiness.
Next steps are vital
The mobility industry needs to bring the best and the brightest together to develop and refine new tests that would assess occupant crashworthiness of AVs in a comprehensive manner. While it’s true that there are some vital pieces of equipment that we may not yet have at our disposal—such as adaptable ATDs that are currently in the design phase—we should resist the temptation to delay the introduction of new NCAP testing protocols. There is much we can do immediately in this area. Virtual testing, for example, can be used now to provide a reliable simulation of occupant impact during a crash under various conditions.
AV safety also represents a prime opportunity for private industry and government to work together, bringing together their collective expertise in various aspects of testing. For example, there is value in combining the government’s experience in crashtesting cadavers with private industry’s strength in developing and executing physical and simulated tests.
When it comes to building and nurturing a thriving AV market, we can’t rest on the fact that the U.S. leads the way in AV innovation. Addressing occupant crashworthiness is just as important to promoting a thriving AV market as are other widely publicized priorities, including ensuring infrastructure and road readiness, and establishing consistent nationwide policies governing AVs.
It would be a significant mistake to wait for further development of AV technologies before tackling the issue of testing for occupant crashworthiness. While a world where driverless cars rule the road is still many years o?, automotive OEMs are continuing to set ambitious goals for the roll-out of these vehicles on to our roads.
If we ignore the need for specialized tests, we risk finding ourselves in a never-ending game of catch-up that will put lives at risk and threaten our opportunity for global AV market leadership.
Author: Christopher O’Connor
Source: SAE Autonomous Vehicle Engineering
目前使用的擬人測(cè)試假人（上）收集的傳感器數(shù)據(jù)比以往任何時(shí)候都多，但它們不是為自動(dòng)駕駛汽車的新座椅條件設(shè)計(jì)的，例如所示的Zoox概念車。(圖片來源：Lindsay Brooke; Zoox)
目前使用的擬人測(cè)試假人（上）收集的傳感器數(shù)據(jù)比以往任何時(shí)候都多，但它們不是為自動(dòng)駕駛汽車的新座椅條件設(shè)計(jì)的，例如所示的Zoox概念車。(圖片來源：Lindsay Brooke; Zoox)