For decades, crash-testing had relied primarily on the Hybrid III dummy — a model that did not fully account for the biological differences between male and female anatomy. But advances in technology, officials said, had finally made it possible to design a test dummy that reflected those differences more accurately.
Mr. Duffy, speaking from the Department of Transportation in Washington, emphasized the scientific importance of distinguishing between male and female physiology in vehicle safety. He said that after “years of delays,” his team had worked over eight months to finalize a dummy that was “state-of-the-art” and highly sensitive.
The THOR‑05F was outfitted with more than 150 advanced sensors, officials explained, making it more durable, lifelike, and capable of collecting three times more injury measurements than existing crash-test models.
Jonathan Morrison, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, called the development “a long-overdue step” and said that understanding how women are uniquely affected by crashes was essential to reducing traffic fatalities.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which had sponsored the development of the THOR‑05F, stated that it would publish a series of technical documents specifying its dimensions and performance requirements. Once final rules were in place, the agency planned to consider using the dummy in its New Car Assessment Program and in compliance testing under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The U.S. Department of Transportation had researched the development of a female crash-test dummy for more than two decades. Over that time, engineers and scientists conducted extensive studies on human anatomy, biomechanics, and injury patterns, analyzing how women were uniquely affected in vehicle collisions. Despite early technological limitations, the department persisted in refining the design, testing prototypes, and gathering data to ensure that the dummy would provide accurate, reliable measurements for safety evaluations. This long-term commitment reflected a broader effort to close the gender gap in automotive safety and improve protection for all passengers.
“The National Safety Council applauds USDOT for releasing a female crash test dummy design that will make car travel safer for women,” said Lorraine Martin, CEO of the National Safety Council. “Women continue to suffer higher rates of crash fatality and serious injury compared to men, despite being less likely to get into fatal crashes than men. This new vehicle crash test device is a breakthrough in efforts to close the safety gap for female vehicle occupants that has persisted for far too long.”
The National Safety Council has long supported efforts to modernize crash testing and ensure vehicle safety standards reflect real-world crash data for everyone on the road.
The National Safety Council publicly supports Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-NE) bipartisan She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety (She DRIVES) Act. The legislation would require use of the most advanced crash test devices available, including female crash test dummies, and update U.S. crashworthiness testing procedures.