At Work in the Classroom: the Volvo WHIPS Case Study
The Volvo WHIPS Case Study, created by the Center for Socially Engaged Engineering & Design, presents a real-world example of how the social and technical interconnect throughout the engineering design process.
Through the example of Volvo’s Whiplash Protective System, or WHIPS, students learn how Volvo modified their seat design to prevent whiplash injuries in the 1990s by reviewing accident research, addressing multiple theories of whiplash mechanisms, and identifying the disparities that can result from design decisions.
Story by Malin Andersson
Illustration by Yen Azzaro
Why teach the WHIPS Case Study?
To integrate technical concepts with social impact
The Volvo WHIPS Case Study prompts students to consider questions they might not be asked in other courses.
“Many engineering courses don’t include any of the social context of engineering,” explains Jeffrey Koller, instructor of Mechanical Engineering 240: Dynamics and Vibrations at the University of Michigan. “But the implicit biases of the designer, as well as what slips through the cracks when considering an end user, are important considerations to bring up in class.”
To provide specific examples of design impacts
Contextualizing the topics covered in the classroom can be an effective way to demonstrate significance.
“The choices that somebody makes in engineering the seat of your car could be the difference between being a little shaken up, versus having your life upended by injuries, doctor’s appointments, and medical bills,” summarizes Sara Hoffman, case study creator and Assistant Director of Educational Content and Research Integration at C-SED.
To engage students with a real-world application
By exploring how technical concepts are interwoven with the social, students can be motivated to understand why the concepts matter.
“I do think this is an incredibly effective tool to get more buy-in from students that might not be as willing to contribute on a day-to-day basis,” says Jeffrey Koller.
What topics/concepts are covered in the content?
Example of WHIPS learning outcomes
Consider the core concepts you’re teaching, or the skills that students need for a project. How can examining the Volvo WHIPS design process help students engage with those concepts and build those skills?
Accounting for human variability
The Volvo WHIPS Case Study emphasizes the importance of designing for human variability – specifically, the disparities in whiplash injuries.
Students engage with a nuanced example of how Volvo used accident data to identify and understand which users were most at risk across a variety of specific scenarios.
Through this example, students can identify which questions they can consider in order to create an effective and thorough design scenario – even in spite of testing limitations.
“We want them [the students] to think about the nuances and challenges of design,” explains Hoffman. “In situations where you can’t test every possible scenario, what are you prioritizing, and why are you doing that?”
Practicing an open-ended approach
Students are not only given an opportunity to connect the social and technical aspects of design, but are also encouraged to practice open-ended problem solving.
“They [the students] are so used to knowing that there is a right solution for everything, and that solution can be looked up in the back of the book,” explains Jeffrey Koller. “To have something open-ended like this is to get them comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Building on the key features of Volvo’s system, students are encouraged to consider how they may approach similar challenges in their own work.
Creating experiments and testing design components
A central goal of the Volvo WHIPS Case Study is prompting students to consider how to physically test an individual component in a complex system.
In this case study, sled testing is presented as an accessible way for students to understand how one can test a design. Detailed explanations as well as recommended videos serve to demonstrate how these tests operate in a real-life scenario.
Instructors can also explore mathematical modeling and how the equations and technical concepts can be plugged into a model in order to test the efficacy of a particular design choice.
What courses have featured the Volvo WHIPS Case Study?
Instructors have used this resource in:
- Dynamics and Vibrations courses
- Senior Design Capstones in Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering
- Geometric Modeling courses
- First-Year Engineering seminars
How do I download this case for one of my classes?
If the learning goals and topics of the Volvo WHIPS Case Study support your objectives, create an account and download the free resource on our Educator Downloads page.