Calspan is an independent test laboratory and has extensive experience executing vehicle crash tests to the latest test protocols and those being proposed by regulatory bodies and safety authorities.
In the case of tests being developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Calspan was awarded a research contract to conduct tests including the Frontal Oblique test procedure because of Calspan's specialized test equipment and intrinsic knowledge using both the 50th percentile male Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR) and WorldSID with RibEye.
Calspan also has unique facility and equipment capabilities to conduct tests to IIHS and EuroNCAP test protocols just implemented or being proposed.
Calspan conducts the Full Frontal Impact into Barrier with THOR, Side Moving Deformable Barrier (MDB) with WorldSID, Side Oblique Pole with WorldSID and Frontal Oblique with THOR.
Calspan conducts the IIHS 2.0 Side Impact using the new 1,900 kg MDB (with a suspension system) and IIHS Passenger Small Overlap crash tests.
Calspan is the only independent test lab in the U.S.A. that can conduct the offset, vehicle to vehicle Mobile Progressive Deformable Barrier (MPDB) crash test with THOR and Q ATDs.
When Calspan executes a vehicle crash test, it takes the approach of “running the test as it was being run for itself.” Put another way, Calspan’s highly skilled and experienced personnel sweat the details to make sure everything is just right before running a test. This includes following its ISO/IEC 17025:2017 process that establishes ownership, accountability and secondary quality checks at key milestones before the process can proceed.
There are innumerable benefits that customers receive when working with Calspan. A few of these include Calspan’s ability to: