Patent ID: 8079635

Claim:
A vehicle comprising a body understructure including first and second side rails, first and second side structures extending upwardly from the understructure on opposing sides of the understructure, and a cross beam coupled to and extending between the first and second side structures, the cross beam includes a configuration to deform axially inwardly in response to a crash force applied to the first or second side structures, wherein the cross beam includes an elongate body having one or more deformable regions being deformable under axial loads sustainable by other regions of the elongate body without deformation, wherein the one or more deformable regions comprise first and second grooves or depressions formed in the body on opposing sides of a longitudinal mid-plane of the body, wherein the first and second grooves or depressions are positioned closer to the longitudinal mid-plane than seat assembly connection points along the length of the elongate body.