An automotive body includes inner and outer rocker panels, a floor pan joined to the inner rocker panel, and cross members extending laterally across a portion of the body. The cross members have energy-absorbing cross member extensions interposed between outboard ends of the cross members and the inner...http://www.google.com/patents/US6676200?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6676200 - Automotive underbody with lateral energy absorption augmentation
