Design and Validation of a Collapsible Brake Pedal System for Lower-Leg Protection in Frontal Impacts

Indian passenger car accident data indicates that approximately 44% of crashes are frontal impacts (Refer fig 1). Among the injuries sustained in these crashes, lower leg injuries are notably critical, contributing to nearly 25% of driver occupant injuries (Refer fig 2). To evaluate such injuries, the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) includes lower leg injury metrics as part of the Frontal Offset Deformable Barrier (ODB64) test. While the overall injury performance is assessed at the vehicle level, BNCAP also monitors vehicle interior intrusions—particularly pedal intrusions—as key contributors to lower limb injury severity. A major challenge in frontal crashes is the intrusion of the vehicle's front-end structure into the occupant compartment. Rigid components, particularly the brake pedal assembly, can be displaced rearward during a crash, significantly increasing the risk of lower leg injuries. Therefore, minimizing pedal intrusions into the driver foot-well is critical for enhancing lower leg protection. As part of an innovative safety initiative, Tata Motors has developed a collapsible brake pedal mechanism designed to mitigate lower leg injuries during frontal crashes. This patented system incorporates a series of levers and linkages that disengage upon impact, allowing the brake pedal to collapse and thereby reducing the risk of intrusion-related injuries to the driver lower legs. The mechanism is engineered to be robust, ensuring that normal braking performance and pedal operation remain unaffected during everyday vehicle use, while providing effective injury mitigation in crash scenarios.