USDOT reveals first advanced female frontal crash test dummy
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has unveiled the design details of what it calls a first-of-its-kind advanced female frontal crash test dummy.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled the details of the THOR-05F on Nov. 20. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored industry development of the dummy, including improvements to response and measurement capabilities.
The new dummy, which was kick-started under the first Trump Administration, is critical to addressing the ongoing trend of higher injury rates for women than men in certain car crash scenarios, a USDOT press release states.
“For years, crash testing has utilized the Hybrid III dummy,” the release states. “Advances in technology now make it possible to more accurately account for the biological differences between male and female anatomy in crash testing, paving the way for a new generation of safety for all.”
Duffy stated in the release that biological differences between males and females are an important safety consideration when designing cars.
The THOR-05F’s shape and response in a crash are designed to enable better assessment of female brain, thorax, abdominal, pelvic, and lower leg injury risk. Its sensors help reveal how seatbelts, air bags, and vehicle structures perform with female bodies, informing safer vehicle designs and regulations, the release states.
“Safety drives everything we do at NHTSA. Better understanding the unique ways in which women are impacted differently in crashes than men is essential to reducing traffic fatalities,” said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison in the release. “This is a long-overdue step toward the full adoption of this new dummy for use in our safety ratings and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.”
Outfitted with more than 150 cutting-edge sensors, USDOT says the THOR-05F is more durable, accurate, and lifelike, enabling it to collect three times more injury measurements than current dummies. With the research and technical details solidified, the THOR-05F will now be available for dummy manufacturers to build models that meet these specifications and the automotive industry to begin testing them in their vehicles.
NHTSA says it will publish five documents detailing specifications and technical information. Once a final rule is published, the THOR-05F will be considered for use in the New Car Assessment Program and in compliance testing for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, the release states.
Humanetics, a safety technology manufacturer, says its engineers collaborated with NHTSA from the earliest prototypes through validation, production ATDs, and the fully correlated finite element model.
“NHTSA’s introduction of the THOR-5F is a landmark moment for transportation safety. For the first time, our regulatory framework reflects the real diversity of the people who travel on our roads,” said Christopher O’Connor, President and CEO of Humanetics. “Humanetics is proud to have partnered with NHTSA to bring this technology forward, and we believe it will set a new global standard for inclusive safety. This is progress that will save lives, and we are committed to helping our customers lead this next chapter in vehicle safety.”
Humanetics says NHTSA has indicated that it will use the THOR-5F device in its 2026 new vehicle assessments, and hopes to complete rulemaking by 2027/2028.
“This timescale suggests that both hardware and virtual models will need to be incorporated into test programs as fast as possible,” Humanetics wrote. “NHTSA’s introduction of the THOR-5F is not simply a symbolic milestone. It is a clear statement that the agency is committed to modernizing occupant protection and closing long-standing gaps in how female safety is measured. The direction is unmistakable, and the pace is accelerating.”
The National Safety Council (NSC) applauds USDOT’s release of the new female crash test dummy design because it addresses the ongoing trend of higher crash injury and fatality rates among women.
“The advanced design better represents women’s body types, enabling improved assessment of injury risk for small female occupants and ultimately resulting in more effective safety features in cars,” an NSC press release states.
Lorraine Martin, NSC’s CEO, added, “The National Safety Council applauds USDOT for releasing a female crash test dummy design that will make car travel safer for women. 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 release states that the NSC has long supported efforts to modernize crash testing and ensure vehicle safety standards reflect real-world crash data for everyone on the road.
The NSC also supports Sen. Deb Fischer’s (R-Nebraska) bipartisan “She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety” (She DRIVES) Act. The legislation would require the use of the most advanced crash test devices available, including female crash test dummies, and update U.S. crashworthiness testing procedures.
Images
Featured image: THOR-05F (Provided by USDOT/NHTSA)
Charts provided by USDOT/NHTSA