U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy recently unveiled the design details for the first-of-its-kind advanced female crash test dummy – known as the THOR-05F.
Federal safety regulators say the new dummy, kickstarted 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.
For years, crash testing has utilized the Hybrid III dummy. NHTSA says 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.
“The Left doesn’t want to hear it, but the science is clear: there are only two sexes – male and female. That biological fact isn’t just a talking point – it’s an important safety consideration when designing cars,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “After years of delays, our team has worked hard over the last eight months to finalize the details for this new, state of the art female crash test dummy. Under the leadership of President Trump, this Department will continue to put the safety of American families – including women – first.”
“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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jonathan Morrison. “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.”
According to NHTSA, THOR-05F, outfitted with more than 150 cutting-edge sensors, is more durable, accurate, and lifelike, enabling it to collect three times more injury measurements than current dummies. Federal safety regulators say with the research and technical details solidified, the THOR-05F will now be available for dummy manufacturers to build models to meet these specifications and the automotive industry to begin testing them in their vehicles.
The National Safety Council is applauding the release of THOR-05F, saying the new design addresses the ongoing trend of higher crash injury and fatality rates for women than men.
"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.”
NHTSA says the Trump Administration is committed to protecting families on U.S. roadways. In alignment with President Trump’s Executive Order on “Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” the Department of Transportation says it's ensuring that the differences between female and male bodies are captured during crash testing to provide the most accurate results.
Additional Information on NHTSA’s Crash Test Dummies:
NHTSA sponsored industry development of the THOR-05F, an advanced small female frontal crash test dummy with improved response and measurement capabilities. Its shape and response in a crash are based on female bodies, which will ultimately enable better assessment of brain, thorax, abdominal, pelvic and lower leg injury risk for small female occupants. With its array of sensors, the THOR-05F helps reveal how seatbelts, air bags and vehicle structures perform with female bodies and will inform safer vehicle designs and regulations.
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 New Car Assessment Program and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards compliance testing.
Click HERE to read a full breakdown on the differences between the Hybrid III and THOR-05F.
