Motoring on

A long and successful collaboration between an Australian automotive giant and a world-renowned centre for automotive research at Monash has set the benchmark for innovation in vehicle safety design. KAREN STICHTENOTH reports.

In 1990, the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) was approached by Holden Innovation's chief engineer, Dr Laurie Sparke, about a project to evaluate the effectiveness of driver airbags in Commodores in reducing 'harm' resulting from head-on and frontal crashes.

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MUARC compared Commodores fitted with airbags against earlier models not fitted with the device, and went on to develop a system of measuring harm that could be applied to real-life situations.

"The measure, a world-first technique, became a powerful tool for use in the design of motor vehicles," Dr Sparke says.

The 'measure of harm' assessed the cost to the Australian community of trauma sustained from motor vehicle accidents in Australia. MUARC's data showed the Commodore airbag prevented around $20,000 of harm per crash.

"Our study was the first to show that airbags, when used in conjunction with a seatbelt, were very effective," says Professor Brian Fildes, chair of road safety at MUARC. "We were able to demonstrate that there were significant reductions in head and chest injuries from the devices."

Airbags were introduced into all Holden Commodores in 1993, and in 1996 MUARC's findings were presented at an international vehicle safety conference in Melbourne.

This led to Dr Sparke's invitation to the US Senate in Washington to outline how US car manufacturers could improve the performance of airbags that were deemed to have only limited benefits. Subsequent changes to legislation led to significant improvements in the design of US airbags.

In 2002, MUARC published the results of a 10-year investigation into driver airbags. The study found driver-airbag deployment in Commodores led to significantly reduced head and chest injury harm (by 75 per cent and 70 per cent respectively), as well as facial and neck injury harm. The program compared the results of 155 frontal collisions involving airbag-equipped and non airbag-equipped Commodores built between 1988 and 1999.

"The findings validated Holden's decision to place a major focus on preventing head and neck injury and to fit an airbag system designed specifically for Australian conditions," Dr Sparke says.

Crash investigation and research data analysis carried out by MUARC on Holden's behalf now forms the basis of all Holden safety development. Analysis of the information enables the car manufacturer to identify priorities and develop further injury reduction strategies.

"It has been a valuable partnership for Holden," Dr Sparke says. "The relationship has developed from contracting work to MUARC to a collaborative partnership, with the centre going on to work with experts at other universities around the world.

According to Professor Fildes, whenever Holden needs some information, advice or help, they come straight to MUARC.

"Holden sees us as a one-stop shop to safety these days. This has been beneficial to us because we are a self-funded research centre, and the work we have been doing for Holden is very much leading-edge in vehicle safety," he says.

"It's work that is very exciting for us to be involved in. We have also been able to maintain our independence and publish, which is important for the centre.

"Holden, too, has been able to link into some of the world's best researchers - that's our strength. We have good contacts with most of the people in the area and have worked with a number of them."

For example, in 1997, MUARC pulled together a team of experts from Australia and overseas to work on a major project with Holden. The project involved a study of side impact crashes to assess how harm could be minimised from this type of accident. Side impact crashes were identified as a predominant cause of trauma on the road, accounting for more than a third of all accidents.

"The approach was quite innovative and became a good model for other projects we have done for Holden," Professor Fildes says.

In response to the data generated by MUARC, Holden introduced a side impact airbag system into the Commodore in 1998.

More recently, Holden, MUARC and Wayne State University in Detroit have collaborated to develop a sophisticated computer model of the human body.

Stage one has seen the evaluation of a model to measure the severity of brain injury. The injury prediction is being validated against injuries experienced by car occupants in real-world crashes.

The computer brain injury model is expected to be ready for use within two years. Validation of the model will eventually lead to the virtual design of advanced car safety features.

"During the past 13 years, Holden and MUARC have developed an effect-ive professional relationship that has become a role model for successful collabo-ration between academia and industry," Dr Sparke says.

Action: For more information, contact Professor Brian Fildes, chair of road safety, MUARC on +61 3 9905 4369, or visit the MUARC website.

Dr Laurie Sparke, Holden Innovation chief engineer, and Professor Brian Fildes, chair of road safety at MUARC.