Exploring Safety Standards: Seat and Seat Belt Anchorage (FMVSS 207 and FMVSS 210)

In a world where automotive vehicles are a primary form of transportation, passenger safety is one of the top priorities in vehicle development.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that about 51% of passenger occupants involved in fatal crashes were saved by using belt restraints (NCSL, Traffic Safety Trends 2021). At MGA, we put our best foot forward by contributing to the advancement of automotive safety. With over 30 years of industry-leading expertise in FMVSS 207 and FMVSS 210 testing, MGA Research Corporation ensures reliable and accurate results with cutting-edge anchorage testing to evaluate compliance with regulations and our customers’ internal requirements.

FMVSS 207 / 210 Requirements and Applications

FMVSS 207 mandates seats, and their attachment anchorages must be able to withstand specific forces in multiple seat configurations and load directions applied at the seat’s center of gravity. Seat sub-systems, such as seatback locking pivots and seat anchors, must maintain their position and remain securely attached with no separation. FMVSS 207 has four test configurations: Rearward Moment, Rearward Anchorage, Forward Latch, and Forward Anchorage. Below are illustrations of how loads are distributed throughout the seat and their requirements. NHTSA states that the loads below shall be pulled at 0°±3.

The above diagrams assume that the seat back and seat cushion are one assembly. In the case that the two seat portions are separate, the center of gravity for both the seat back and cushion is needed to test Forward and Rearward Anchorage, while Forward Latch is not required.

Seat designers and manufacturers commonly integrate seat belt anchorages into the seat itself (e.g., first-row buckles, second-row center retractors, etc.). In this case, FMVSS 207’s Forward Anchorage and FMVSS 210’s Belt Anchorage are to be run simultaneously as one test, which is illustrated below.

Similarly, FMVSS 210 ensures that seat belt anchors are designed correctly to withstand the occupant forces seen during a crash event.  Additionally,  NHTSA recently released the Final Rule for FMVSS 210 that introduces new methods for setting up body blocks using the zone determination method, or alternatively, eliminating the body blocks entirely in favor of the new Force Application Device (FAD). Our engineering team, in collaboration with our fabrication team, has developed and tested MGA’s in-house manufactured FAD devices. Together, these two standards play a critical role in occupant safety, helping to prevent ejection during rollover or frontal collisions. See the belt load distribution illustration below. NHTSA has stated that belt loads should be applied at 10°±5.

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Positioning the torso body block(s) during setup can present challenges in achieving accurate and repeatable placement. To mitigate variability associated with manual handling, NHTSA developed the Torso Block Positioning Aid, as illustrated in Figure 4. This device serves as a fixture to support the torso block(s), ensuring consistent alignment and positioning throughout test setup and across multiple test setups, regardless of the test personnel involved. The version shown below is for left hand configurations, while a mirrored design across the Y-axis is used for right-hand configurations.

Our Equipment

MGA’s expertise extends beyond FMVSS standards, encompassing ECE and internal OEM equivalent specifications. Our test frames can accommodate different test setups, and come equipped with up to 15 actuators, a user-friendly data acquisition system, and a rigid steel T-slot and A-frame. From fixture-level testing to full body-in-white (BIW) evaluations, we can accommodate any seat structure ranging from single-occupant to four-occupant configurations. These are now available across multiple locations in the United States, and in Canada. For more information on MGA’s anchorage testing, please reach out via the contact form on our website.

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