  In the construction of simulations of rear-end vehicle impacts, the
Articulated Total Body (ATB) software package can be a useful tool. In this
article we discuss the effect of using artificially inflated values for
seat-backrest stiffness in ATB simulations. We will also present methods for
quickly assessing the quality of simulation results. In this connection, we
will discuss the perils of using the default contact-force models that are
included in ATB package releases.
