ably minimize the likelihood of contact by the head of the belted driver and/or other belted occupants, shall be considered to provide a reasonable degree of protection.

S3.1.3 Control devices not meeting S3.1.2 and likely to be contacted by the head of a belted occupant shall have a contact area of not less than 1.0 square inch of flat surface with an edge radius of not less than 0.125 inch and shall be mounted and constructed of materials which will deflect flush within 0.375 inch of the panel surface or be mounted in such a manner as to allow them to be pushed flush with the panel surface or be detached by the application of a force not to exceed 90 pounds when struck in a plane determined by the use of a SAE two dimensional 50th percentile male manikin.

S3.1.4 Instrument bezels not meeting S3.1.2 and S3.1.3 and likely to be contacted by the head of a belted occupant shall have an edge radius of not less than 0.125 inch and shall project not more than 0.250 inch above the surface of the panel or shall be shielded as to reasonably minimize contact by the head of belted occupant.

S3.1.5 The steering column transmission selector lever end shall have a cross-sectional projected area perpendicular to the lever of not less than 1.0 square inch and an edge radius of not less than 0.125 inch.

[Federal Standard No. 515/4] IMPACT ABSORBING STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN DISPLACEMENT FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES $1. Purpose and scope. This standard establishes requirements for impact absorbing steering wheels and steering columns installed on automotive vehicles.

S2. Application. This standard applies to sedans and station wagons.

S3. Standard characteristics. The SAE Recommended Practice for Barrier Collision Tests, SAE J850, forms the basis for section S3.2 of this standard.

S3.1 The steering wheel assembly shall be so constructed that when it is impacted at a relative velocity of 22 feet per second with a torso shaped body block as shown in figure 1, weighing 75-80 pounds, and having a spring rate load of 600-800 pounds, the force devel

oped during collapse of the wheel shall not exceed 2.500 pounds. The spring rate is determined by loading the chest of the torso shaped body block with a 4 inch wide flat contact surface so that it is 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the body block, parallel to the backing plate and within 15 to 20 inches from the top of the head form. The load is measured when the flat contact surface has moved down 1⁄2 inch, and the spring rate is determined by doubling this load figure.

S3.1.1 The load cell recording device shall be of the type shown in figure 2 and shall be mounted directly behind the wheel, with its axis of primary sensitivity in the direction of body block travel just prior to impact. The steering wheel shall be mounted to the load cell by means of an appropriate

nose piece at the same angle as it is to be installed in the vehicle.

S3.2 Other testing methods, such as high capacity acceleration facilities and anthropometric dummies, giving equivalent results, may be utilized in lieu of methods defined in S3.1 and S3.1.1.

S3.3 The steering column shall be so designed that when the front structure of the automotive vehicle collapses during the SAE J 850 barrier collision test at 20 miles per hour, the upper end of the steering column shall not be displaced rearward, relative to an undisturbed point to the rear of the steering wheel position, more than 5 inches.

S3.3.1 The rearward displacement of the steering column shall be determined under dynamic conditions during the barrier collision test.