Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is just an initial response, so probably flawed, but I'd suggest testing against a vehicle which only exists to represent the lowest safety rating (for occupants) that is allowed on the roads of whichever jurisdiction this is. If the new design results in harm to the passengers, it's unsafe for existing legal road users.
well a strong enough crash will always result in harm to either or both sides. One still has to define the type of crash etc. I hate these minitanks but I acknowledge it's not simple to test like this. Make heavier car forbidden on some roads or make them pay proportionally to a ratio of their empty weight vs. weight fully loaded would seem fair. This way trucks are not impacted, but stupidly heavy SUVs are. And appl…
Sure, but that's way beyond the scope of a comment on a web forum to enumerate let alone describe in detail. Whatever the current survivability standards are, they'll say speeds and directions etc., so reuse those but with the new car as the other object in the collision.