Effect of Impact Attenuator Geometry on Head Injury Criterion (HIC) in NxGV Challenge Vehicles

Abstract

The Next Generation Vehicle (NxGV) Challenge, organized by PERODUA, SAE Malaysia, and the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) is a student competition featuring race cars similar to those in Formula SAE. These vehicles are powered by electric motors with a maximum power limit of 70 horsepower. A mandatory rule of the competition requires each vehicle to be equipped with an impact attenuator mounted at the front of the chassis. The driver's safety during frontal collisions is critically influenced by the design of the impact attenuator. This study investigates the effect of varying impact attenuator geometries on the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), a widely accepted metric for evaluating the severity of head injuries in crash scenarios. Using finite element analysis, several attenuator configurations differing in shape were subjected to standardized impact conditions. The resulting head acceleration data were used to calculate HIC values, allowing for a comparative assessment of design performance. Results indicate that a hollow design of impact attenuator for this study allows for greater material deformation during impact, enhancing energy absorption and contributing to lower Head Injury Criterion (HIC) values. The findings underscore the importance of geometric optimization in attenuator design to enhance driver safety and meet NxGV Challenge regulatory requirements. This research provides practical insights for Formula Student teams aiming to design efficient, lightweight, and regulation-compliant impact attenuators.