What is NHTSA doing to address bumper mismatch issue between passenger cars and SUVs?
The agency is aware that there is a mismatch between the bumpers of passenger cars and those of some light trucks and vans (LTVs). However, bumper elevation is not solely responsible for mismatched contact in vehicle collisions. The effect of braking and interaction of suspension dynamics and vehicle weight can also be attributed to the mismatch. This issue is being addressed as a part of the agency’s consideration of the broader issue of vehicle compatibility. Compatibility involves differences in vehicle characteristics between passenger cars and LTVs such as weight, height off the ground, geometry and stiffness. To address this issue, the agency is developing advanced simulation models of vehicles that could be used as tools to understand crash behavior and interactions between incompatible vehicles and to assess safety implications of these vehicles fleet wide. This research could lead to the development of suitable countermeasures for occupant protection in crashes of incompatible
