Performance of Energy Management Features of Child Restraint System LATCH Hardware

Manary, Miriam A.; Klinich, Kathleen DeSantis; Orton, Nichole R. · 2021 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This study investigates the performance of energy management features in child restraint system (CRS) LATCH hardware, specifically examining whether these features reduce loads on vehicle anchors and improve occupant safety metrics. Manufacturers have introduced load-limiting mechanisms, such as deformable metal connectors or tear-stitched webbing, intended to absorb energy and extend deceleration time during crashes. The research aimed to determine if these features effectively lower peak forces on vehicle LATCH hardware and reduce anthropomorphic test device (ATD) accelerations and excursions, particularly in high-severity frontal crash scenarios. The researchers conducted dynamic sled tests at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute using a modified FMVSS 213 bench. Three CRS models were evaluated: the Diono R100 Radian with SuperLATCH connectors, the Britax Boulevard with RipStitch tethers, and the Evenflo SureRide as a baseline without energy management features. A weighted Hybrid III 6-year-old ATD was used to measure head injury criterion (HIC), chest accelerations, and excursions. Lower anchor loads were instrumented to assess forces delivered to the vehicle. Paired tests were performed with and without the specific energy management features. While the initial plan utilized a high-severity crash pulse, structural failures in the Britax Boulevard necessitated rerunning those tests with a pulse closer to standard FMVSS 213 levels. Results indicated that the Diono SuperLATCH feature did not reduce peak loads delivered to the lower anchors, nor did it affect chest accelerations or ATD head and knee excursions. However, SuperLATCH was associated with a reduction in HIC values compared to standard LATCH configurations. Conversely, the Britax RipStitch tether reduced tether webbing loads but increased lower anchor loads. Furthermore, the RipStitch feature resulted in slightly higher HIC, chest accelerations, and head/knee excursions compared to tests where the feature was removed. The Britax CRS also suffered catastrophic structural failure during initial high-severity tests, rendering those data invalid. The study concludes that the tested energy management features did not provide the expected safety benefits under the conditions examined. SuperLATCH failed to reduce vehicle anchor loads, contradicting manufacturer claims regarding mass limit extensions. RipStitch altered load distribution unfavorably, increasing anchor loads and ATD injury metrics. The authors suggest that current FMVSS 213 test procedures are sufficient for evaluating these features and indicate that there is significant room for improvement in CRS design to better reduce injury risks for child occupants.

Key finding

The tested energy management features did not provide the expected safety benefits, as SuperLATCH failed to reduce lower anchor loads and RipStitch increased lower anchor loads while slightly worsening ATD response metrics.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 10

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• child passenger safety