The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, announced approval for the design of a female crash test dummy. This decision follows years of advocacy for improved female representation in vehicle safety testing.
Background on Crash Test Dummies
Vehicle safety tests in the United States have historically utilized crash test dummies modeled after the male body. Research indicates that women are more susceptible to injuries in car crashes compared to men, even when accounting for crash severity and vehicle size. Calls for an accurate female crash test dummy have existed since at least 1980.
In the early 2000s, regulators introduced a smaller "female" dummy for tests. However, this model was a scaled-down version of the male dummy with added breasts, which did not accurately represent anatomical differences between male and female bodies.
Development of the THOR-05F Dummy
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated efforts to create a more accurate female dummy over a decade ago. NHTSA collaborated with Humanetics, a leading manufacturer of crash test dummies, to develop, build, and test the new model.
The new dummy is designated THOR-05F (Test device for Human Occupant Restraint, 5th-percentile Female), designed to represent a very small woman. Humanetics CEO Chris O'Connor highlighted specific anatomical differences addressed in the design, including:
- A more rounded female pelvis, affecting seatbelt retention.
- Differences in neck anatomy.
- Significant variations in the lower leg, correlated with higher rates of leg injuries in women.
Adoption and Remaining Hurdles
While European officials have previously indicated intentions to incorporate the THOR-05F into their tests within a few years, its formal adoption in the U.S. has faced delays. NHTSA previously cited the need for additional testing and consideration.
Integrating a new dummy into the crash testing process incurs substantial costs, with individual dummies potentially exceeding $1 million. The THOR-05F design has also received criticism for representing an extremely small body size rather than an average female physique. Some safety groups suggest computer simulations, capable of modeling various body sizes, as a complementary approach, though others emphasize the importance of robust real-life crash test data to inform these models.
NHTSA administrator Jonathan Morrison described the recent publication of technical documents and specifications as "a step toward the full adoption of this new dummy." However, this action is an initial phase. A final rule must still be published, after which the new dummy will be considered for inclusion in actual safety tests. The existing tests have not yet been revised to incorporate the THOR-05F.
Advocacy group Women Drive Too acknowledged the action but stated it "won't be enough," continuing to advocate for congressional legislation to mandate the dummy's use in federal crash tests. The full implementation of the new dummies in federal testing is anticipated to take several years.