Component, System, and Vehicle Analysis & Testing

Capabilities

• Structural Crashworthiness

  Crashworthiness can be defined as a structure's ability to protect users from injury during a crash or related incident. Exponent can analyze specific incidents, perform meta-analyses to assess a structure's real-world performance, and perform laboratory and/or full-scale crash testing to assess a structure's response to a specific set of circumstances or to test conditions defined by standards.

  Our capabilities include robotic-controlled steer-induced rollover testing; dolly rollover testing; moving and static barrier testing of frontal, side, and rear impacts (including fuel system integrity testing); single and multi-vehicle accident reconstruction testing; and static and dynamic roof crush testing.

  We have a suite of calibrated, instrumented ATDs (crash test dummies) that provide data that can be compared with established injury risk metrics. These tools can be used to assess the performance of a single product, compare that performance across a field of competitive products, and assess that performance against relevant industry practices, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. 

• Restraint Systems

  Exponent has unmatched experience and capabilities with respect to occupant protection and restraint systems. We conduct research and publish regularly on a wide array of topics related to occupant protection and restraints, and we maintain an up-to-date knowledge base concerning restraint system technology.

  Exponent performs full-scale, instrumented tests under controlled conditions in our indoor testing facility (sled tests) and on our crash rail at our Test & Engineering Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Through these evaluations, we quantify the biomechanical and mechanical performance of occupant safety systems using on-board instrumentation and videography as well as surrogate occupants, such as anthropometric test devices (ATDs). We also conduct component-level studies to evaluate the performance of specific aspects of restraint systems under crash-specific circumstances.

  From automatic locking mechanisms for child restraint systems to emergency locking mechanisms engaging in crash environments, we directly quantify how seatbelt components function in real time under controlled conditions through restraint-specific evaluations — in addition to full-scale sled and crash tests encompassing vehicle reconstruction and biomechanical evaluations. We also determine how active restraint systems, such as seat belts, interact with passive systems, such as pretensioners, load limiters, and airbags. 

  We not only assess the performance of safety systems in terms of efficacy in controlling kinematics mitigating kinetics, and reducing biomechanical injury metrics, but we also evaluate their operation relative to design performance criteria.

  Our multidisciplinary approach includes comprehensive field documentation and evaluation of physical evidence, crash and sled testing with occupant surrogates, analysis of restraint system functionality and performance, human motion modeling and simulation, and review of relevant field accident data and literature to assess the efficacy of occupant protection systems. 

• Seats

  Exponent's multidisciplinary teams are actively involved in analyzing and measuring the performance of motor vehicle seats as an important component of occupant safety, particularly in high-speed rear-end collisions. 

  Exponent scientists and engineers have the capability to conduct full-scale crash tests, wire-bending deceleration sled tests, FMVSS 207 seatback strength testing, and specialized quasi-static seatback strength tests to evaluate the structural performance, energy dissipation designed into the seat frame, and "occupant" response using anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs).

  These tests allow the deformation and physical evidence patterns on motor vehicle seats to be analyzed based on the severity of the crash pulse and occupant loading in high-speed rear-end crashes.

  Exponent has conducted numerous research test programs to evaluate production seat structures, conceptual seat structures, and seat belt configurations with varying belt pretensioner strategies to study their effect on occupant response and protection.  

• Electrical System & Batteries

  The rapid evolution of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) has been driven by innovations in power storage. With these new storage technologies come new challenges.

  Exponent's teams of vehicle, mechanical, electrical, and materials engineers support clients with the answers they need in the areas of failure analysis, safety design consulting, control system analysis, new technology design support, and full-scale testing of intact and compromised EV battery assemblies. 

• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

  Building on over 50 years of experience in the analysis of motor vehicle accidents and related claims and disputes, we have industry-leading capabilities related to ADAS-equipped vehicles involved in collisions. 

  Our motor vehicle accident reconstructionists, biomechanists, and human factors scientists are supported by the vehicle engineering staff at our Test & Engineering Center (TEC) in Phoenix, Arizona, who develop and perform bespoke tests to quantify ADAS and driver performance under specific accident conditions and in real-world driving situations. 

  Our ADAS-related testing capabilities include the following: 

  • State-of-the-art robotic vehicle control  

  • Programmable AB Dynamics™ Global Vehicle Target (GVT)  

  • Programmable AB Dynamics™ Global Soft Target (GST)

  • Full suite of programmable AB Dynamics™ Vulnerable Road User (VRU) targets 

  Learn more about our work in Emerging Vehicle Technologies here. 

• Engines & Engine Controls

  Engines and engine controls have developed over many years to comprise a wide variety of designs and applications. Exponent has the knowledge and experience across multiple engineering disciplines to address this with expertise in engine and engine control engineering, testing, development, validation, and certification to applicable regulatory or industry standards.  

  Examples of prior work include analysis of emissions control systems, component development, certification, fuel economy performance requirements, engine fires, vibration, durability, engine cooling, and production process quality and reliability controls evaluations.

  Exponent is familiar with relevant standards and regulations such as those of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Exponent also has substantial expertise regarding engine-related safety defect investigations and recalls.  

• Brake, Steering & Suspension

  Exponent has decades of experience in the evaluation of brake, steering, and suspension systems across a wide range of vehicle applications, including passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, off-road vehicles, farm implements, and construction equipment.

  We regularly assess brake, steering, and/or suspension systems in product liability matters and in our accident reconstruction work  — such as analysis of alleged brake malfunction, ABS performance, and loss of control.

  This includes analysis testing of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in modern vehicles. Exponent assesses brake systems with regard to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) such as 105 (hydraulic and electric brake systems), 121 (air brakes), and 135 (light vehicle brake systems).

  Exponent also has expertise in safety investigations and vehicle recalls, including issues with brake performance and failure, loss of steering, and suspension vibration.  

• Fuel Systems

  Fuel systems are an ongoing focus at Exponent, with most vehicles on the road still to be powered by internal combustion engines for years to come. We leverage our expertise in mechanical, thermal, and electrical engineering to analyze fuel system and component-level design and performance.

  Our work includes failure analysis in crashes and fires (including crash, thermal, and electrical testing), assessment of recalls and safety defect investigations, and evaluation of system and component development processes. This can include assessment of system requirements, engineering drawings, and development, validation, plan, and report (DVP&R) at system and component levels.

• Summary of Services

  • Full-scale testing 

  • Compliance analysis 

  • Occupant safety system analysis 

  • Occupant restraint performance analysis & testing 

  • Crashworthiness analysis & testing 

  • Human motion modelling & simulation 

  • EV battery testing 

  • Engine & engine control analysis & testing 

  • Fuel system analysis & testing 

  • Reconstruction analysis & simulation 

  • Component & system failure analysis 

  • Standards & compliance assessments 

  • State-of-the-art & industry practice assessment 

  • Intellectual property consulting 

  • Product recall support  

  • Vehicle & component performance analysis 

  • Emerging technology development 

  • Transportation policy support