Wheelchair Seating Systems

RESNA WC20 Wheelchair Seating Systems for Use in Motor Vehicles is a voluntary industry standard that establishes design and performance requirements and related test methods to evaluate wheelchair seating systems relative to their use as seats in motor vehicles independent of their installation on production wheelchair frames. It accomplishes this by installing and testing the seating system on a surrogate wheelchair frame (SWCF) shown here that has been designed and validated to perform during a simulated 48 kph (30 mph) frontal crash in a manner that is representative of typical production wheelchair frames. An anthropomorphic test device (ATD), or crash-test dummy, representing the wheelchair occupant, produces nominally worst-case dynamic loading conditions on the seating system when tested with a SWCF-anchored pelvic restraint belt as is required by WC20. The SWCF on which the seating system is installed can accommodate a wide range of types and sizes of production seating systems (see detailed engineering drawings for the SWCF here).

The international standard for seating systems, ISO 16840-4 (2009), also uses the same SWCF. However, seating systems can be tested using either surrogate or commercial 4-point strap-type securement systems, and may be tested with an integrated SWCF-anchored pelvic belt or an independent vehicle-anchored pelvic belt.  Seating systems imported from other countries may be compliant with this standard instead of, or as well as, WC20. 

WC20 and ISO 16840-4 are intended for 'complete' seating systems, which consists of a seat, back support and associated attachment hardware. The seating system may, or may not include postural support devices.  Components that constitute a complete seating system are detailed in the table below when the information is provided.   

More information on WC20 and ISO 16840-4 is located within the standards section of this website.

The following tables are lists of seating products available that manufacturers have reported as being:

  • Completely compliant with the requirements of WC20: This means that the seating system has been successfully crash tested on the SWCF with a surrogate 4-point strap-type securement using a SWCF-anchored pelvic belt. It also meets all design requirements and received at least an acceptable rating  with regard to the ease of proper placement of vehicle-anchored three-point belts and to the extent to which proper positioning and geometry of a three-point belt can be achieved, as well as meeting several other requirements.  A checklist of criteria for complete compliance of WC20 can be found here. 
Connect directly to the Google Sheet here.

  • Successfully crash tested to WC20: This means that the seating system has been successfully crash tested crash tested on the SWCF with a surrogate 4-point strap-type securement using a SWCF-anchored pelvic belt, but may not meet all of the design requirements of the standard or may not have completed all of the required tests in WC20.
Connect directly to the Google Sheet here.

  • Completely compliant with the requirements of ISO 16840-4 (2009):  This means that the wheelchair has been successfully crash tested on the SWCF with a commercial or surrogate 4-point strap-type securement with either a SWCF-anchored pelvic belt OR a vehicle-anchored three-point belt. It also meets all design requirements, as well as meeting several other requirements.  A checklist of criteria for complete compliance of ISO 16840-4 can be found here. 
Connect directly to the Google Sheet here.

  • Successfully crash tested to ISO 16840-4 (2009): This means that the wheelchair has been successfully crash tested with a commercial or surrogate 4-point strap-type securement with either a wheelchair-anchored pelvic belt OR a vehicle-anchored three-point belt, but the wheelchair may not meet all of the design requirements of the standard or may not have completed all of the required tests in ISO 16840-4.

Connect directly to the Google Sheet here.

Use the links to the manufacturer websites to learn more about the listed seating products or to contact the person accountable for implementing the WC20 standard. 

Note:  Claims of product compliance are as reported by manufacturers and cannot always be confirmed by UMTRI personnel as these are voluntary industry standards.


Note to manufacturers: