US Patent 12090957 Structural impact assembly and vehicle having structural impact assembly

A structural assembly for use in a motor vehicle includes a rocker and a running board. The motor vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a door. The rocker extends in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. The running board is movably coupled to the vehicle frame between a deployed position and a stowed position in which an upper portion of the running board extends vertically above the rocker. The running board is configured to be positioned underneath the door and substantially flush with a lower portion of the door when the door is in a closed position and the running board is in the stowed position.