Overview - ISO/TR 17950:2016 (Rear seat positioning for HIII 5F)
ISO/TR 17950:2016 is a technical report that specifies recommended placement and installation procedures for the Hybrid III 5th percentile female (HIII5F) frontal impact dummy when used in forward‑facing outboard second‑row rear seating positions of passenger cars (M category) during frontal impact testing. It supports consistent, repeatable rear seat positioning for tests such as Frontal Impact 0° and Pole (ISO 3560) and Frontal Impact Offset Deformable Barrier (ISO 15828).
Key topics and technical requirements
- Seat position settings
- Longitudinal, vertical and pitch adjustments according to vehicle manufacturer design positions; default mid‑track, lowest vertical and mid‑angle if unspecified.
- Detailed default procedure to determine the mid longitudinal position when manufacturer data are unavailable.
- Seatback and head restraint
- Seatback: use manufacturer design position or ~25° if unspecified.
- Head restraint: set to manufacturer nominal design for a 5th percentile female or lowest locking position.
- Fittings and supports
- Retract adjustable lumbar supports and other supportive features to lowest/fully retracted positions.
- Armrests may be stowed; seatbelt upper torso adjuster set to manufacturer design or lowest position.
- Design H‑Point determination
- Use SAE J826 H‑point manikin with adjusted thigh and lower‑leg lengths (thigh 408 mm, lower leg 418 mm) to derive the design H‑point for the HIII5F.
- Defines Seat Cushion Length (SCL) and provides the derivation method/formula for the design H‑point of the HIII 5th percentile female dummy.
- Dummy installation and tolerances
- Align dummy longitudinal center with seat centre reference line; pelvis H‑points must match derived H‑points within specified tolerances.
- Pelvic angle: 20.0° ± 2.5° (recorded).
- Initial knee separation: 210 mm ± 5 mm.
- Stepwise lower‑leg and foot placement to ensure feet contact floor or seat front as specified.
- Head angle leveled to within ±0.5° of horizontal where possible.
Practical applications and users
ISO/TR 17950:2016 is intended for:
- Vehicle manufacturers and design engineers validating rear occupant protection.
- Crash test laboratories and technicians performing frontal impact tests with HIII5F dummies.
- Regulators and safety assessors ensuring consistent test procedures and repeatability.
- Dummy and test‑fixture manufacturers aligning anthropomorphic measurement protocols.
Using this report improves consistency in occupant positioning, helps reduce variability in test results, and supports comparable assessment of rear‑seat occupant protection across vehicles.
Related standards
- ISO 3560 - Frontal impact 0° and pole tests (referenced as application examples)
- ISO 15828 - Frontal impact offset deformable barrier test
- SAE J826 - Procedure for determining the H‑point of seating devices (used to derive design H‑points)
Keywords: ISO/TR 17950:2016, Hybrid III 5th percentile female, rear seat positioning, impact test procedures, H‑point, SAE J826, frontal impact testing.