ISO 15037-3:2022

Overview

ISO 15037-3:2022 - Road vehicles - Vehicle dynamics test methods - Part 3 - provides general conditions for passenger cars ride comfort tests. Published by ISO in 2022, this part defines the test environment, measurement and data-processing requirements, vehicle preparation and reporting conventions that are common to ride comfort evaluations. It applies to passenger cars (as defined in ISO 3833) and light trucks, and is intended to ensure repeatable, comparable ride comfort results for road and, where applicable, bench tests.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope of variables: Specifies the motion variables to be measured (longitudinal velocity, roll/pitch angles and rates, whole-body vibrations, sprung/unsprung mass accelerations, etc.) referenced to the vehicle intermediate axis system (ISO 8855).
• Measuring equipment and transducers: Requires time-based, multi-channel recording systems and appropriate transducer installations. The standard specifies typical operating ranges and recommended maximum errors and environmental ratings for sensors (see Table 1 and Annex C).
• Data processing: Defines data acquisition and processing expectations, including frequency-domain and time-domain analysis techniques for random and single-event inputs.
• Test environment: Covers general test-track conditions and wind-velocity considerations to control external influences on ride comfort.
• Test vehicle preparation: Details vehicle tuning, tyre and operating component conditions, loading and drivetrain states, and treatment of active systems before and during tests.
• Test methods: Addresses primary and secondary ride evaluations, impact isolation, random vs periodic disturbances, and initial driving routines.
• Data analysis and weighting: Recommends applying frequency-weighting filters consistent with related standards (ISO 2631, ISO 8041, ISO 5349) for health, comfort, perception and motion-sickness assessments.
• Reporting: Mandates content for test reports (general data and test conditions) with normative annexes (Annex A and B) to ensure consistent documentation.

Applications and who uses it

ISO 15037-3:2022 is used by:

• Automotive OEMs and chassis/ride engineers for vehicle development and validation
• NVH and ride comfort test laboratories conducting road and bench tests
• Automotive suppliers (suspension, tyre, seat systems) to qualify components
• Research institutions evaluating human response to vehicle motion
• Regulators and certification bodies referencing consistent test conditions

Practical benefits include improved repeatability, clearer test specifications for instrument selection, and harmonized test reporting to compare ride comfort across vehicles and test methods.

Related standards

• ISO 3833 (vehicle types/definitions)
• ISO 8855 (vehicle dynamics vocabulary)
• ISO 2631, ISO 8041, ISO 5349 (frequency weighting and vibration measurement)
• Normative references: ISO 1176, ISO 2416

Keywords: ISO 15037-3:2022, vehicle ride comfort tests, passenger cars, measuring equipment, test track, data processing, transducers, vehicle dynamics.