Local newscast goes inside University of Virginia’s lab that researches auto parts
A local news team from 29News recently toured the University of Virginia’s Center for Applied Biomechanics, which researches automotive safety, including parts, for auto manufacturers and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The center is the largest university-based injury biomechanics laboratory in the world, according to its website. It specializes in impact biomechanics for injury prevention and was started by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1989.
Its automotive safety research has been focused on injury biomechanics, structural crashworthiness, crash injury epidemiology, human behavior and ergonomics, the website says. However, it adds that new sensing and processing technologies indicate that crash avoidance and vehicle automation will play a central role in future automobile safety.
Jason Forman, the center’s executive director, told the news station that the lab spends time testing technology before it hits the market.
“For example, future automated vehicles are going to bring a host of changes,” he said. “There may not be a steering wheel. They may be able to sit in any position in the vehicle facing any which direction.”
Equipment used by the facility includes crash dummies, simulators, and devices able to recreate the accelerations experienced during vehicle crashes, he said.
“This behind-the-scenes work helps ensure the latest automotive technologies meet rigorous safety standards before being deployed in consumer vehicles,” another recent article from Charlottesville Today says. “As self-driving and advanced driver assistance systems become more prevalent, independent testing and validation of these new technologies is essential to building public trust and ensuring the safety of all road users.”
It adds that the lab works as third-party oversight.
Data from the center is shared with automakers to help them refine and improve their designs, the article says. It adds that the data also helps the Department of Transportation inform federal safety regulations.
The article says that in the past year, the lab has seen a significant increase in testing requests from major auto manufacturers.
Focused areas of study at the lab include restraints, vulnerable populations, and rollover crashes. It is a part of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN).
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