Ms Meyerson provided an update on the progress and activities of the Informal Group on the Harmonization of Side Impact Dummies (WorldSID group). It was noted that the WorldSID 50th male is likely to be completed in 2011, with injury risk curves potentially taking a little longer; the WorldSID 5th female is envisaged to be completed around 2013.

Ms Tylko provided an ISO WorldSID Positioning Sub-Committee Update (PSI-01-18). It was advised that the seating procedure would specify that the seat base be set to the lowest position, but that the procedure for the seat back angle was yet to be finalized. It was planned to hold an ISO workshop in January 2011 to finalize the seating procedure for the WorldSID 50th.

Mr Terrell presented a summary of pole side impact test procedures in use in regulatory or consumer crash test programs or proposed for use (PSI-01-13).

Ms Tylko presented a summary of recent Canadian oblique pole side impact research using the WorldSID 50th RibEye, WorldSID 50th IRTRACC, and ES-2re dummies (PSI-01-14).

Mr Belcher presented a summary of recent Australian oblique, perpendicular, and offset perpendicular pole side impact research using WorldSID 50th dummies (PSI-01-15).

There was discussion of the respective roles of the WorldSID and Pole Side Impact groups with regard to injury criteria and limits. Ms Meyerson suggested that the WorldSID group should be responsible for establishing injury risk curves for the WorldSID dummies and making recommendations on these curves, but that the pole side impact group should take responsibility for the injury criteria and limits to be applied in a pole side impact GTR. It was then agreed that the pole side impact group would be tasked with setting the injury criteria and limits for a pole side impact GTR.

Mr Hogan canvassed the Informal Group to obtain member’s views on the best pole side impact test method (oblique vs. perpendicular vs offset perpendicular), the most suitable impact speed, and the most suitable test dummy.

There was a clear consensus that the test procedure in a pole side impact GTR should utilise WorldSID dummies.

There was general agreement that it was premature to identify an agreed test procedure and that consideration of test procedures based on FMVSS 214, EuroNCAP and the offset perpendicular test recommended by APROSYS should be carried forward.

It was agreed that benefit cost analysis would be a major element in comparing the three candidate procedures. However, some members also expressed reservations about the capacity of available data sources to answer the necessary questions, as gaps and coding issues are known to exist for many field data sources. For example it was noted that distinguishing impact angle was difficult and that the choice of angle in a test procedure could be determined by the outcome being sought rather than the most common impact point.

Mr Terrell indicated a preference not to use the NCAP procedure as this did not load the thorax sufficiently.

Mr Limmer noted that introduction of WorldSID would constitute major change and that other changes should be minimised – a test procedure should be based on the current perpendicular or oblique test, although he favoured the oblique test as more robust.

Dr. Müller noted that Ford, and many other global automotive manufacturers supplied vehicles to both Europe and North America. For these companies, parts of the company would need to adjust if an oblique test was used, and other parts would need to adjust if a perpendicular test was used. However, there would be benefit from one harmonized procedure.

Mr Damm pointed out that there would be cost savings achieved by removing multiple side impact dummies from test procedures and replacing them with a globally agreed side impact dummy.