Overview
Calspan's Vehicle Engineering provides analysis,
test, and system engineering services to government,
academic and commercial customers. Safety is the overarching
theme of our work. A range of capabilities, from in-depth
analyses of accident crash data to derive accident
profiles to development and testing of complex integrated
collision avoidance and other safety systems, is provided.
The professionals in the Vehicle Engineering are experienced
in working in the automotive, heavy commercial vehicle,
and motorcycle fields.
Motorcycle Conspicuity Treatment Testing
Intersection Collision Avoidance Testbed
Calspan's Digital Brake Stroke Sensor for
Heavy Trucks
Accident Data Analysis
The Vehicle Engineering staff can utilize expertise
within Calspan to use the National Accident Sampling
System (NASS) and General Estimates System (GES) to
derive accident profiles and develop crash scenarios
for system development. Calspan personnel have applied
this technique successfully in the past to develop
collision avoidance systems and to support other safety
analysis.
Systems Engineering
Calspan's skilled staff can conceptualize, fabricate
and develop complex vehicle systems for both the automotive
and commercial vehicle areas. Calspan staff developed
an integrated safety system for a collision avoidance
system at intersections. This system employed vehicle
based radar sensors, GPS and other on-board sensing
and processing to warn drivers about potential vehicle
crashes. Calspan staff has supported the increased
safety of heavy commercial trucks with the development
of an automatic system to determine the status of
vehicle pneumatic brakes.
Safety Research
The Vehicle Engineering supports an improvement in
the safety of the driving public by performing safety
research to provide data on basic safety issues. Calspan
personnel recently completed a program to investigate
the interaction of automobile drivers and motorcycle
riders.
Testing
Vehicle Engineering has the equipment and facilities
to perform testing in a closed, controlled environment,
or on the road in a naturalistic setting. Its
staff is experienced in performing subject testing
in either environment. Vehicle Engineering can also perform Field Operational Tests (FOTs) when the research dictates testing is to be performed offsite.
