In the late 1970s and early 1980s the P-dummies were developed, they are a series of child crah test dummies from newborn to ten years. The P-series dummies are still used for the EU regulation ECE R44 and also for other standards, such as the US one.
In 1993 the International Child Dummy Working Group started developing the Q-series of child dummies as successors to the P-series. The Q-dummies differ considerably from the P-dummies. Not only are they designed to represent the human body and how it moves far more accurately, they were also made to be used in both front and side impact testing, making them the first multi-directional child dummies. |
The Swedish Transport Institute (VTI) perform an additional test called the Swedish Plus Test. Its predecessor, the T-Standard Test was first developed in 1975, seven years before R44 car seat tests were mandatory in Europe. This makes Sweden the word leaders in car seat testing.
The Plus Test is a frontal impact done at 56.5kmh/35mph and uses a shorter braking distance than other tests, making the impact even more severe.. It uses the more advanced Q-dummies and is the only car seat test in the world that measures the loads on the child's neck. In all forward facing car seats the loads on the neck are higher than the safe maximum. This is why only rear facing car seats can pass the Plus Test. Car seats that are forward facing or have a forward facing option are not tested because they are not expected to pass. |