Lower control arm mechanism for a small overlap crash

A system for managing wheel kinematics during a collision event, the system comprising:

• a lower control arm configured to couple a wheel to a frame member, the lower control arm comprising a front portion and a rear portion;
• a front mount coupling the front portion to the frame member to form a first joint, wherein the front mount comprises a break-away region, comprising a first weakened region and a second weakened region, configured to fail under the collision event to allow the front portion to move laterally away from the front mount;
• and
• a rear mount coupling the rear portion to the frame member forming a second joint configured to constrain lateral displacement of the second portion during the collision event.

A mount configured to constrain and release a front portion of a lower control arm, the mount comprising:

• a top plate comprising a top through feature;
• a bottom plate comprising a bottom through feature vertically aligned with the top through feature;
• a pin extending vertically through the top through feature and the bottom through feature, wherein the front portion of the lower control arm is coupled to the pin, and wherein the pin constrains lateral motion of the front portion;
• and
• a break-away region, comprising a first weakened region and a second weakened region, configured to fail during a collision event to allow the front portion to move laterally away from the top through feature.