Virtual Testing – CAE

CAE Crash Simulation for Automotive Passive Safety

In the field of automotive passive safety, CSI's Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) services provide advanced crash simulation capabilities, including structural and biomechanical assessments at vehicle, subsystem, and component level.

Integration of Simulation and Physical Testing

The key strength of CSI's CAE activities lies in the close integration with its experimental testing facilities, enabling highly reliable and validated results.

Main Application Areas

  • Road Restraint Systems Simulation (EN ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for EN 16303)
  • Occupant Protection (homologation, self-certification, and rating activities)
  • Pedestrian Protection (ECE R127, Euro NCAP)
  • Sled Testing Simulations for Restraint Systems (frontal and side impact)
  • Development of customer-specific methodologies (e.g., rollover simulations including vehicle dynamics and occupant restraint analysis)
  • Material Characterization
  • Participation in Euro NCAP protocols

Contribution to Euro NCAP Programs

CSI actively contributes to the development of new Euro NCAP ratings through participation in major international working groups, including:

  • VTC (Vehicle Testing Crashworthiness), with activities related to Far Side Impact, frontal sled testing, pedestrian protection, Human Body Models (HBM), and VTA (Virtual Testing for Safe Driving & Crash Avoidance).

Expertise and Added Value

CSI's CAE services support:

  • Traditional product development activities
  • Virtual validation processes
  • Specialized engineering areas, including rollover and advanced side-impact analysis

Advanced solutions for passive safety engineering and the development of vehicles compliant with international standards.

Thanks to its consolidated know-how and continuous methodological innovation, CSI ensures:

  • High simulation accuracy
  • Performance optimization
  • Improved engineering efficiency

Software and Tools

CSI employs industry-leading CAE software solutions:

  • FEM and Multibody Solvers: Radioss, LS-DYNA, PamCrash, MADYMO
  • Pre- and Post-Processing Tools: HyperWorks, ANSA, META (MetaPost)
 The CAE service of CSI provides a full support to customers during all the vehicle development phases, from the Concept to the Homogolation/Self-Certification. CSI, known internationally as Euro NCAP laboratory and as a competence hub, with high experienced know-how and skills in the automotive field, offers its experience in the management of turn-key projects with a team of professionals assigned to the project. The BU Conformity Assessment of CSI offers certification, inspection, testing and training services specific for the Automotive Sector. The training courses done by IMQ Group are a reference point in the training and continuing education of professionals and companies technical personeel for years. The cyber security in the automotive field impacts the protection of all the important elements in the vehicle from the treats to the IT safety: a cyber security assessment is required to analyse all the dangers and evaluate risks linked to the exposure to internet of the connected-car.