Rear Passenger's Seat Belt Usability Evaluation Test (Until FY2017)

Testing Methods (Until FY2017)

In the light of the fact that the law requires rear seat passengers to wear their seat belts from June 2008, rear passenger seat belt's(window side seat in standard position and the front most position) 1) accessibility, 2) identification of buckle, 3) insert ability of buckle into tongue and 4) Comfortability of seat belt are rated on a scale of one to three using radar charts for the purpose of increasing rear passenger's seat belt usage rate by making the usability of rear passenger's seat belt like that of front passenger's one.

The table also shows presence or absence of three-point seat belt for center rear seat passenger.

Evaluation Methods (Until FY2017)

Evaluation for accessibility of seat belt

The shortest distance between UTRP of HP dummy and the center of seat belt webbing is measured and the accessibility of seat belt is evaluated based on that distance. The higher evaluation levelis , the better accessibility becomes according to the following criteria:

Evaluation for identification of buckle

A sensory rater evaluates if he/she wrongly uses the adjacent seat's buckle by sensory rating and visual observation. The higher evaluation level is, the better identification becomes according to the following criteria:

Evaluation for insertability of buckle into

A sensory rater sits on the target seat and buckles and unbuckles the seat belt repeatedly in order to evaluate insertability of the buckle into the tongue by sensory rating and visual observation. The higher evaluation level i s , the better insertability becomes according to the following criteria:

Evaluation for comfortability of seat belt

Contact forces of seat belt are measured at the intersection point of the shoulder belt with HP dummy's centerline when pulling out and rewinding the seat belt under the condition that the webbing contacts the dummy. The passenger comfort is evaluated depending on each contact force. The higher evaluation level is, the better comfort becomes according to the following criteria:

Others (Until FY2017)

Equipment conditions are disclosed in order to encourage the spread of three-point seat belt for rear center seat.