Safety levels and occupant injury risk for Light Commercial Vehicles in the ASEAN region : results of crashworthiness data

Abstract

The logistics industry in Malaysia has greatly evolved in recent years. With regard to the freight industry, business operations depend on transportation service using commercial vehicles to deliver products in a timely manner. Technically categorised as N1 vehicle, the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) or light duty truck is designed to carry goods with maximum load not exceeding 3.5 tons. To maximize cargo size, the occupant cabin space has been pushed forward, hence, becoming a ‘flat head type’ vehicle. Nevertheless, the flat head vehicle fared poorly in terms of its crashworthiness performance during a frontal collision. In the ASEAN region, the automotive market for LCVs or the ‘People Mover’ trails behind passenger cars (M1 category) from the safety aspect where most small lorries or panel vans are sold with the lowest safety standards due to undemanding requirements and regulations imposed on this vehicle category. To examine the current issue surrounding this vehicles category in ASEAN, this paper shall discuss 1) the results of crashworthiness data for LCVs based on the assessment conducted by ASEAN NCAP and Japan NCAP and 2) review the leg injury analysis involving five LCVs tested by ASEAN NCAP. The vehicles with the worst performance for both NCAPs were compared, namely the TATA Super Ace (ASEAN NCAP) which came with no safety features, and the Daihatsu Hijet Cargo DX (Japan NCAP) which was equipped with ABS, airbag for both driver and front passenger, seatbelt pretensioner for driver and front passenger, as well as seatbelt load limiter for the driver and front passenger. The results showed that the driver and front passenger of the TATA Super Ace sustained very serious lower extremity, chest, and head injuries compared to Japan NCAP’s low performing LCV. In addition, five LCV models (TATA Super Ace, Chana Era Star II, DFSK V25L, Suzuki Carry, and Cherry Transcab) were tested by ASEAN NCAP without the fitment of any protection to the driver and front passenger during frontal crashes. As a result, the occupants, especially the driver, faced a very high risk of sustaining serious lower extremity, chest, and head injuries. The crash test results led to all five LCV models tested being awarded zero-star safety rating. The injury analysis also proved that the driver fatality was greatly affected by severe injuries, or AIS 3+ in the head, lower extremity and chest. It can be concluded that the safety of LCVs in ASEAN is a cause for serious concern where improvements are urgently needed to ensure that this vehicle category is equipped with sufficient safety features.