Funded by Hyundai-KIA (HK) R&D, the Hyundai-KIA Automotive Safety Research Laboratory (ASRL) was establish in March 2003 to enhance transportation safety by advancing the state of crashworthiness and biomechanics engineering. The laboratory coordinates HK's research activities by interfacing with the company's engineering resources and with other research organizations and universities in the United States. While the team emphasizes safety issues that are specifically tailored to HK's R&D, the solutions ultimately will benefit the entire safety community
The growing ASRL serves as a model of successful partnerships between academia and a corporate organization; together, the partners can identify and solve critical safety issues that affect motorists around the world. Initially, the laboratory will focus on two primary research areas: real-world crash analysis and investigation, and child passenger safety.
Real-World Crash Analysis and Investigation
Crash test results help automotive engineers and researchers identify vehicle performance for an idealized set of impact conditions. By analyzing historical crash data, however, researchers gain insight into the true safety performance of the motor vehicle fleet during real-world crash events. HK's ASRL investigates real-world crash cases and provides feedback on vehicles' safety performance. Currently, staff engineers evaluate performance by reviewing crash cases from the CIREN and the National Automotive Sampling System compose of the Crashworthiness Data System and the General Estimates Systems. These valuable cases, collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation contain highly detailed investigations of moderate to severe crash events.
Child Passenger Safety Research
The majority of crash-related child injuries and fatalities in the United States results from misuse, poor installation or non-use of Child Restraint Systems (CRS). The HK ASRL team conducts in-depth analysis of design and usability issues related to today's CRS devices, with the goal of promoting proper and repeated CRS use.
The group's public awareness campaigns and events, such as public child safety seat fitting clinics, help parents and others understand how to install and use CRS devices to protect child passengers. The team also focuses on vehicle design issues that could either promote or hinder CRS use. Researchers investigate and document specific design features that can be incorporated into future designs. They also conduct computer modeling and simulation to understand the safety implications of improper CRS use in common crash conditions.
While the general public is the primary benefactor of this research, the HK Automotive Safety Research Laboratory also provides a foundation for many GW master's and doctoral candidates. Additionally, ASRL maintains an exchange program that allows HK engineers to enroll in GW's transportation safety engineering program.