Autoliv advances virtual testing suite

Autoliv said on September 8 that it is expanding virtual testing for vehicle safety development through its Human Body Model Safety Suite, a platform built to simulate how the human body responds in crashes. The Stockholm-based automotive safety supplier said the suite is designed to support development of airbags, restraints and other occupant-protection systems. (prnewswire.com) Autoliv said Toyota is the first customer to be onboarded to evaluate the platform’s capabilities. Autoliv described the product as part of a broader shift toward using software earlier in the vehicle-development cycle. (eqs-news.com) The company said virtual testing can help engineers analyze crash conditions that are difficult to reproduce physically and can complement, rather than replace, physical crash testing. (autoliv.com) ### What exactly did Autoliv launch? Autoliv’s September 8 announcement centered on the Human Body Model Safety Suite, which it described as an integrated virtual safety platform. The company said the suite combines an advanced human body model for crash simulation with software for analysis, visualization and workflow support. (prnewswire.com) Autoliv’s product materials say the current package includes SAFER HBM, a visualizer and a learning center, with a pre-processing tool listed as coming soon. A brochure on the company’s website says the SAFER HBM is developed with ongoing support from Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Center. ### Why are human body models different from crash-test dummies? (prnewswire.com) Autoliv’s product page says human body models offer “biofidelity, flexibility, and efficiency” beyond physical crash dummies by simulating the body’s biomechanics in more detail. The company says that can provide more precise insight into how different occupants may move and be injured in a crash. The company said virtual human-body testing is particularly useful in load cases involving cars, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. (prnewswire.com) Autoliv’s dedicated HBM site says the suite is tailored for the automotive industry and is intended to expand the use of virtual crash testing across those scenarios. ### Where does this fit in the way vehicles are developed? (autoliv.com) Autoliv said shorter vehicle development cycles, changing safety requirements and the need for earlier design insight are driving greater use of virtual testing in the automotive industry. The company said the software is meant to reduce dependence on physical prototypes during early design and validation work. (autoliv.com) Autoliv already offers physical crash testing and simulation services through its broader safety-solutions business. Its test-services page says the company handles method development, pre-test preparation, post-test analysis, computer simulations and crash testing, placing the new suite inside an existing engineering workflow rather than as a stand-alone research tool. (hbmsafetysuite.autoliv.com) ### Who is using it first? Toyota is the first customer evaluating the HBM Safety Suite, according to Autoliv’s announcement. The company did not disclose commercial terms, timing for a broader rollout, or whether Toyota plans to use the suite in a specific vehicle program. (eqs-news.com) Autoliv’s website says the suite is available through a dedicated sign-in and product portal, suggesting the next step is customer testing and onboarding rather than a consumer-facing release. The company’s materials also say development of the suite is ongoing, with additional tools planned. ### What comes next from here? Autoliv’s next visible milestone is expansion of the suite’s toolset, with the pre-processing tool marked “soon” in current product materials. (autoliv.com) Toyota’s evaluation and any additional customer signings are the clearest indicators to watch on the platform’s next phase. (autoliv.com) (hbmsafetysuite.autoliv.com) (eqs-news.com)