Course syllabus for Vehicle and traffic safety

Course syllabus adopted 2022-02-15 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameFordons- och trafiksäkerhet
  • CodeTME202
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPMOB
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyAutomation and Mechatronics Engineering, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics
  • DepartmentMECHANICS AND MARITIME SCIENCES
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 89137
  • Maximum participants70 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0113 Laboratory, part A 2 c
Grading: UG
0 c2 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
0213 Examination, part B 2 c
Grading: TH
0 c2 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
  • 13 Jan 2025 pm J DIG
  • 16 Apr 2025 pm J DIG
  • 28 Aug 2025 pm J DIG
0313 Examination, part C 2 c
Grading: TH
0 c2 c0 c0 c0 c0 c
  • Contact examiner
  • 16 Apr 2025 am J
  • 28 Aug 2025 am J
0413 Written and oral assignments, part D 1.5 c
Grading: UG
0 c1.5 c0 c0 c0 c0 c

In programmes

Examiner

Go to coursepage (Opens in new tab)

Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Basic courses in mechanics. Programming at least 6 credits.

Aim

The objective of this course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of the role of active and passive safety in the context of traffic safety. The course prepares students for designing and evaluating active and passive safety systems and provides an understanding of traffic safety aspects of automated vehicles.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

  • List the most important sensor technologies for automotive safety applications (active safety and automated vehicles)
  • Explain the advantages and limitations of different sensor technologies
  • Explain the role of active safety in the context of traffic safety
  • Describe the general architecture of active safety systems
  • Provide examples of active safety systems on the market and describe their operation and implementation
  • Explain what cooperative systems are and how they can be used to extend the functionalities of active safety systems
  • Discuss the importance of human factors in relation to active safety and automated vehicles
  • Illustrate the tools currently available for evaluating active safety systems and automated vehicles
  • Describe various means to reduce traffic related fatalities and injuries
  • Discuss the effect of different car structure design and crash configurations on in-crash load paths in the vehicle and in the occupants
  • Explain means to avoid incompatibility between different road vehicles and road furniture
  • Describe how car restraints and car structure can reduce injury risk
  • Relate the biomechanics of the human body to crash safety
  • Describe the basics of the explicit finite element method and give examples of how simulations can be used to assess crash safety
  • Design and perform a crash test, filter and analyse data, suggest applicable injury criteria and calculate injury criteria values
  • Discuss ethical aspects, privacy issues and legal responsibility questions concerning vehicle safety systems as well as research methods

Content

The course consists of lectures, exercises, and a laboratory assignment. The lectures cover: - Sensors for active, passive and automated-vehicle safety - Systems for active safety - Cooperative systems - Driver behaviour and driver modelling - Human machine interface - Field data analysis - Safety systems evaluation for active and automated safety - Safety in automated driving - Accidentology and epidemiology - Crash worthiness - Compatibility - Future vehicle designs - Restraint designs - Testing - Crash test dummy design - Injury assessments - Infrastructure design

Organisation

- Lectures - Exercises (hand in) - Project assignments

Literature

Handouts of lecture notes as provided on the course homepage.

Supplementary reading:

  • Ulrich W. Seiffert, Mark Gonter (2014): Integrated Automotive Safety Handbook. SAE International, R-407, ISBN 978-0-7680-6437-7
  • Trauma Biomechanics - Accident Injury in Traffic and Sports; Kai-Uwe Scmitt et al. 2:nd edition or later, ISBN 978-3-540-73872-5

Examination including compulsory elements

- Laboratory assignment, A 2 c, pass/fail 
- Active Safety, Exam B, 2 c, graded 
- Passive safety, Exam C, 2 c, graded 
- Assignment and hand-in exercises, D, 1,5 c, pass/fail

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.