The teams in the FIA World Rally Championship have incorporated the FIA Institute’s new side impact safety system in time for the start of the 2008 season, beginning with Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo.

The Advanced Side Impact System, developed by the FIA Institute’s Closed Car Research Group, is designed to help save rally drivers and co-drivers from serious injury in the event of a high speed side-on crash with a solid object.

FIA President Max Mosley said:

“The Advanced Side Impact System is another excellent example of the FIA Institute’s partnership approach to improving motor sport safety. I’m delighted with the support given by the WRC teams in developing the system and all of those involved in the project should be congratulated on what they have achieved.”

FIA Institute President Sid Watkins added:

“After three years of research and testing I am delighted to see these important safety measures incorporated into the rally cars. The teams and drivers have been highly supportive throughout and I look forward to further collaborations as we continue to strive for ever higher levels of safety in our sport.”

The teams have been busy over the winter incorporating the crucial components of the system, which include more survival space and side impact energy absorbers.

The creation of a 200mm space between the door and the seat provides the critical survival space that will be used to help minimise the energy and forces on the body of the occupant in the event of a collision. The 200mm space will be filled with high efficiency energy absorbing material, to enable the crash forces to be attenuated.

Further side impact measures, including a stronger supporting seat, stronger seat rails, safety nets and optimised belt anchorage positions will be phased in during the summer break. In 2009, it is planned to introduce a new load spreading door cage system.

Petter Solberg, Subaru World Rally Team driver and 2003 FIA World Rally Champion, said:

“The FIA Institute is taking steps forward all the time with developments like the side impact protection system and safety in motorsport in general. I am pleased that the Subaru World Rally Team has been a major supporter in developing the system with the FIA. I think that the FIA has a lot of good ideas for the future and I hope we all see the sport get even safer.”

Mikko Hirvonen, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver, said:

"Crew safety is the top priority for everyone in rallying. As a driver I obviously appreciate the need to focus on safety, and it is hugely encouraging to see how closely the teams have been working with the FIA Institute and the importance that has been placed on making rally cars as strong as possible. I'm also pleased to see that research will continue in the future with a view to taking improved safety even further."

The FIA Institute began work on the side impact project in March 2005, in partnership with the Subaru and Peugeot teams. One of the major challenges was designing a system which could be integrated by all teams in the current rally cars.

With this in mind, the project group arrived at a formula which breaks down the individual safety components into steps that the teams could easily incorporate into their cars.

The first target was to minimise the energy forces on the occupants of the car during a collision. This is achieved through greater survival space as well as energy absorbing material and a load spreading door cage.

The next priority was strengthening the driver’s seat to improve head, shoulder and pelvic support. The seat is important because it is the main connection between the driver’s body and the car. It also provides the last line of protection should an accident occur.

The safety nets, still under development with the teams, will be placed along the centre-line of the car, between the driver and co driver, in order to limit the excursion of the occupants, and prevent them impacting each other during a violent impact or roll.

The belt positions have been specified to create optimised belt strap geometry and angles which ensure the torso is efficiently and equally restrained by each of the straps of the safety harness.

The load spreading door system will increase the strength of the car in the region of the front doors, and will reduce the intrusion during a side impact accident.

By introducing these measures in stages, the rally teams are able to incorporate them more easily into the designs of their car.

Much of the research was conducted in co-operation with Peugeot and Prodrive, with engineering design by the Subaru World Rally Team. A high-g sled at DEKRA was commissioned for development testing where it was demonstrated that a high velocity 70g side impact could be survived without serious injury.