Performance evaluation of the eight-one six-point occupant restraint system based on experiments

In order to further ensure occupant safety, a new type of motor vehicle occupant restraint system is proposed in the paper. According to its structural characteristics, the shoulder belts are shaped like the Chinese number eight (八), the lap belt is shaped like the Chinese number one (一), and it has six fixed points; hence, it is called the “Eight-one six-point occupant restraint system.” The effectiveness of the “Eight-one six-point occupant restraint system” for adult and child occupant protection was verified under frontal impact conditions (50 km/h) and lateral impact conditions (30 km/h) using the Hybrid III 50th percentile dummy and the Q3 child dummy, respectively. Meanwhile, a comparison was made with the safety performance of the typical occupant system. The conclusion indicates that wearing a typical occupant restraint system carries the risk of occupant detachment from the restraint, neck strangulation, and collision interference between occupants on the far side and on the collision side; it also cannot be applied for child occupant protection. However, the “Eight-one six-point occupant restraint” can effectively restrain adult and child occupants within safety areas with a simple and easy-to-wear structure and technological innovation, which has certain application value.