3/4/2015 - Elio Motors Tech Talk V58 - Recent Frontal Crash Test Simulation

[goofyone]

Elio Motors Tech Talk v5
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When Elio Motors set out to create the next big thing in transportation, it required a whole new way of looking at how we get from point A to point B. After all, we were asking folks to change their paradigm of driving a four-wheeled vehicle to one with three-wheels.

What this meant to the Elio team is that even more attention and focus needed to be placed on what is most important to new-vehicle shoppers…and to us…as we are consumers just like you. It’s all about safety.

The Conversation Continues…
Based on the questions, comments and feedback that resulted from the previous Tech Talk on safety, Elio Motors wanted to continue the conversation to further demonstrate that not all vehicles are created equal. A select few push forward beyond what is mandated and instead strive to achieve what is only good enough for them. Case in point…Elio Motors.

So who rates safety and what is involved in doing so?
Elio Motors is raising the bar in this area by engineering for an anticipated 5-Star Crash Test Safety Rating in addition to adhering to the mandate that all vehicles on the road must comply with:

The Federal Government: The Federal Government has many regulations under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), which govern the automotive and motorcycle industry – from crashworthiness to tire pressure. The FMVSS are the base standards that all vehicles (or automobiles under 8800 lbs) must meet to be sold in the United States. These tests are conducted by the OEM, Elio Motors, at a qualified test lab to ensure the stated standards are met.

National Highway Transportation Safety Authority (NHTSA): NHTSA created 5-Star Safety Ratings under its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), to provide consumers with information about the crash protection and rollover safety of new vehicles beyond what is required by Federal law. One star is the lowest rating; five stars is the highest. More stars equal safer cars.

Elio Motors has aligned with NHTSA’s philosophy of providing our consumers with the safest vehicle as a means to improve the likelihood they will walk away from an impact event with less injury. Therefore, in addition to including three airbags, a driver airbag for frontal protection and side curtain airbags for occupant protection in both a side impact and a rollover event as standard equipment, Elio Motors will follow the NCAP standards when evaluating the Elio. Star ratings are determined based on conducting three tests: a frontal crash, a side impact crash and rollover resistance of the Elio.

Furthermore, when Elio Motors determines the aspects of their safety objectives, certain compliance factors must be demonstrated through a series of three steps.

Step One: Computer Simulation
Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) simulation is used to virtually study each of the modes Elio is targeting for “crashworthiness.” These simulations provide digital predictions of the physical testing performance before real hardware is available. The simulations address the vehicle’s structure, powertrain, suspension and occupants.

The results of the digital simulations are then utilized to evaluate if the vehicle is performing to the FMVSS, NCAP or other requirements. This allows Elio Motors to iterate on the design before physical hardware is even available. If in alignment, the process moves forward. If marginal, more iterations are performed. By the time the physical hardware is available, those involved will have a high level of confidence that the Elio will meet or exceed requirements. All as a result of CAE simulations. Ultimately, physical testing will be conducted to verify the virtual study findings.

Step Two: Component and System Testing
This intermediate step ensures the components and systems are performing to the targets and meet the requirements determined from the simulation e.g., airbag size, inflation time, pressure, etc. These tests are generally used to enhance the models or correlate them to the digital models. Once it is believed the models and physical parts are correlated, the systems can begin sled testing with dummies to demonstrate compliance prior to crashing any vehicles. The time to crash vehicles follow only after it has been identified that the performance target is being achieved and meets expectations. Results of all the testing and correlation can yield 95% accuracy. On average 30-50 vehicles are tested.

Step Three: Actual Vehicle Crashing Testing
Elio Motors determines how many vehicles to put through the test, although 30-50 are tested on average. This phase is typically used to prove the “crashworthiness” and in most cases determine if the vehicle can be offered for sale.

As mentioned in a previous Tech Talk, approximately six months after the Elio reaches the market, NHTSA will purchase several of the vehicles unannounced and place through a series of crash tests to further evaluate the safety of our vehicle.

When all is said and done, each one of the suppliers that is involved with the safety components within the Elio will have conducted a series of tests. This will help to validate physical performance with digital performance which equals correlation.

Safety will continue to be a top priority for Elio Motors and its suppliers/partners. So, you will have peace of mind in your new Elio when you see, do and experience life over the 672-miles per tank of gas.

Visit NHTSA (www.safercar.gov) for FAQs on the 5-Star Safety Rating.

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Copyright © 2014 Elio Motors, All rights reserved.





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[pistonboy]

I assume we can know where the major items in the engine bay will be located.
They had to be properly placed in the simulation in order to do the simulation.

 

[goofyone]

I had heard the elio will have 15 inch rims with 5 lugs which is very standard. I do not know what the diameter is of the rims in the simulation, but they have 4 lugs. Note the 15 holes on the perimeter. This detail uses computer processing power. Considering the course resolution of the frame, I am surprised they put so much detail into the wheels. Will we be getting four lugs? Does anyone recognize these rims? (Thanks Jeff Bowlsby)

The wheels look like standard template steel wheels which is not surprising as these would be very inexpensive. The five lug wheel information is over a year old now so it is entirely possible that the wheels have been changed to four lug wheels since then. I am sure EM is constantly searching for better prices on components which also meet their other requirements.

 

[Chaz]

It could be just boilerplate wheels used for the simulation. My guess would be that the number of lug nuts does not matter for the simulation and the company has just picked the right size tires and rims.

 

[pistonboy]

The racing vehicles I am familiar with are stripped down street unibody vehicles with a roll cage added to the inside giving increased rigidity to the vehicle and increased safety to the passenger.

In this vehicle, the 'roll cage' is the frame with composite panels glued to the outside (forming the body) and composite panels glued to the inside (forming the interior). I do not believe this is a true roll cage. It is a tubular frame that happens to resemble a roll cage. In fact it is more of a space frame than a roll cage. But, I am sure EM will continue to call it a roll cage because that suggests safety. (There appears to be some variableness to the definition of space frame.)

This may be a step backs toward the old idea years ago of having a separate frame and body that bolted together. However, while the frame is a distinct single piece, the body is not. The body is simply composite panels glued to the frame. The body may be more of a covering, like siding on a house. (I am going to get orange siding on my elio.)

Instead of using stamping metal sheets and welding them together, tubes are cut and welded together with some of them being straight, and some of them being curved. Metal has a "memory" and when deformed it will spring back a small amount and thus the pieces may not be the precise shape desired when assembled. In the unibody design, the memory effect of a metal sheet can be quite pronounced. In the elio design, some tubes are straight while others have a single curve in them and a single curve can be better controlled. When assembled, the elio pieces will fit more precisely and thus there is the potential for greater accuracy with the elio design.

On second thought perhaps this is not a step back, but rather a progressive step forward combining good features of different eras.

 

[Snick]

View attachment 5010 I see more. Look at the beefed up structural frame members and the additional L-frame at the front. A new massive door bar, moved vertically to the top of the door. Larger gap from rear tire to rear frame. All of these would give strength in a collision, and additional weight. What else did I miss?

Curvature of the A pillar and roof line will transmit energy differently.
Substantial sill at windshield base on firewall.
Door sill inserts.
Looks like motor mounts and drivetrain packaging slightly different and more compact.
More realistic wheels *can* dissipate energy better -notice wheels in new model react sooner and appear to dissipate some of the higher impulse moment energy (also seems related to L member function to me.
Rear seat back taller.
Radiator bracing changed.
Front frame rails beefier-could be by different forming and joining processes.
Lower triangular A box constructed differently.
Rear horizontal brace crossing C pillar beefier-nearly every box section appears beefier, actually.
Car mass probably up 50-95 lbs.

 

[WilliamH]

View attachment 5010 I see more. Look at the beefed up structural frame members and the additional L-frame at the front. A new massive door bar, moved vertically to the top of the door. Larger gap from rear tire to rear frame. All of these would give strength in a collision, and additional weight. What else did I miss?

Not 100% certain, but it looks like the motor is set back further n the frame, and the radiator has been re-positioned.

 

[aknaten]

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/gms-using-simulated-crashes-build-safer-cars/

GM’s Using Simulated Crashes to Build Safer Cars

Intro to the article: "Crash test videos make for great marketing: They’re a clear sign an automaker is so concerned about your safety, it built piles of cars for the express purpose of slamming them into a wall and seeing how the poor dummy inside fared. But they’re also costly and time-consuming. And, like so many things we’re used to doing in the real world, they’re happening more and more on computer screens instead."

 

[JEBar]

http://www.wired.com/2015/04/gms-using-simulated-crashes-build-safer-cars/

GM’s Using Simulated Crashes to Build Safer Cars

Intro to the article: "Crash test videos make for great marketing: They’re a clear sign an automaker is so concerned about your safety, it built piles of cars for the express purpose of slamming them into a wall and seeing how the poor dummy inside fared. But they’re also costly and time-consuming. And, like so many things we’re used to doing in the real world, they’re happening more and more on computer screens instead."

good article .... I'd heard that they were running crash test using computers but this is the first article I've read about the process .... thanks for posting the link

 

[RUCRAYZE]

I've recently saw a self-driving car approach a wall (as in a crash test) and computing the eminent danger stopped short of hitting it-