|
Light Vehicle Brake Systems
|
| NHTSA Vehicle Research and Test Center |
|
| Updated |
Jun 3, 2004 17:43:32 |
| Rating |
 69 ( -10 -14.49% ) |
|
|
Description:
CRASH AVOIDANCE RESEARCH
Light Vehicle Brake Systems
The Crash Avoidance group at NHTSA VRTC is currently conducting research and vehicle testing to examine issues relating to passenger vehicle brake systems. Research focuses on the areas listed below.
Light Vehicle Brake Systems Research Areas:
Light Vehicle Antilock Brake Systems (ABS)
NHTSA PROJECT ENGINEER: Elizabeth N. Mazzae (emazzae@nhtsa.dot.gov) TRC PROJECT ENGINEER: Garrick J. Forkenbrock (gforkenbrock@nhtsa.dot.gov)
Consumer Brake Information Initiative
NHTSA PROJECT ENGINEER: W. Riley Garrott (rgarrott@nhtsa.dot.gov) TRC PROJECT ENGINEER: Scott Johnston (sjohnston@nhtsa.dot.gov)
Since 1979, NHTSA has been providing consumers with valuable safety information on the frontal crash performance of motor vehicles through the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) on crash performance. NHTSA's Office of Crash Avoidance Standards (OCAS) is exploring the feasibility of providing crash avoidance consumer information through non-destructive testing of NCAP vehicles before they are crashed. If viable test protocols could be developed, it would enable NHTSA to provide consumers with valuable crash avoidance safety information, and help drive the market toward improved safety performance. Concerns with developing a brake system performance rating focus primarily on questions of variability. The sources of variability include test conditions, vehicle-to-vehicle variability that exists for a given model due to factors that include different standard tires and different component options affecting weight, and variability in brake linings, test drivers, and test surface friction changes with time and differences from test site to test site. Tests were conducted at NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center to evaluate various brake system performance measures and to begin to develop a data base that might be used to quantify the sources and levels of variability associated with such brake system performance measures. Eleven vehicles were leased for testing in both loaded and empty configurations, on various test surfaces, using a range of test procedures. Currently, 3 more vehicles are undergoing testing to help determine variability in brake testing attributable to different drivers. |
|
