Draft agenda for the 43rd Session of the Informal Working Group on Automotive Life Cycle Assessment (IWG on A-LCA) meeting on July 6th, 2026, from 11:30~14:30 CET. The agenda includes welcome and introduction, adoption of the agenda and last meeting minutes, decision on Document Package, decision on Open Items, decision of the latest document, next steps including Report to GRPE and Revision of ToR, and closing.
The agenda includes welcoming participants, reviewing and adopting the agenda, scheduling next meetings on 7th July and 24th August 2026, analyzing database distance in dB from the borderline, discussing proposals to TF-Editing based on draft UN R51.04 from the June Gothenburg session, preparing wording proposals for items 13–19 from the issues list, and reviewing decisions and work for the next meeting before reporting to IWG RD-ASEP.
The University of Virginia Center for Applied Biomechanics conducted a parametric modeling study of seat performance in rear impact for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety using OpenVT seat geometry, foam, and structure characteristics spanning real seats. Simulations compared BioRID and EvaRID dummy responses across multiple crash pulses. Some kinematic measures correlated between dummies, while most kinetic measures did not. EvaRID showed greater sensitivity to seatback foam stiffness and pre-crash braking effects than BioRID, with pre-pretensioner reducing several outcome measures.
IIHS is implementing virtual testing for whiplash prevention in rear-impact evaluation. A draft test protocol allowing ATD simulation submission was published in June 2025, with rating guidelines and auditing procedures following in December 2025. The evaluation uses metrics including head contact time, maximum NKM, upper neck tension, T1 x acceleration, and pelvis displacement at both 16 km/h and 24 km/h crash pulses. Small SUV ratings began in January 2026. Whiplash prevention with simulation option will be included in IIHS Top Safety Pick awards by February 2028. Future development includes human body model workflows and validation procedures.
A finite element model of the average female crash test dummy SET 50F v0.2 for low severity rear impact safety was developed through further tuning and evaluation of the FE SET 1.0.0 model to the FE SET 50F 2.0.0 model. Development included re-meshing of foam, fine tuning weights of body parts, drop tests on abdomen and torso foam, and static spine bending tests of thoracic-lumbar and cervical regions. The FE SET 50F 2.0.0 open-source model is available on the OpenVT platform.
EuroNCAP conducted whiplash tests using EVARID, a prototype dummy representing a 50%ile female based on BioRID II, on 2024 and 2025 seats with mid and high severity pulses. EVARID showed earlier head restraint contact time but shorter duration, higher NIC values in several cases, higher neck forces Fx and Fz, and higher pelvis and lumbar accelerations compared to BioRID II, indicating different dummy behavior. Next steps include repeatability and reproducibility testing, additional seat testing, evaluation of assessment criteria, and dummy certification.
Document discusses virtual testing research on rear impact occupant protection. CIDAS data from 132 rear-end collision cases involving 287 occupants shows female occupants comprise 34.15% of rear-impact cases, significantly higher than 21.25% across all accident types. Female passengers predominantly occupy rear seats at 46.95%. C-NCAP 2027 introduces whiplash virtual testing using EvaRID dummy for second-row seats alongside BioRID II for driver seats, with EvaRID injury limits 20% lower than BioRID II. Research includes dummy positioning adjustments and repeatability studies using ISO/TS 18571 evaluation methods.