Sweden's car dummies drive for equality

Crash test dummies become inclusive - 28th November 2022

A Swedish team of engineers has developed the first crash test dummy to be designed on the body of the average adult female, to heighten protection for women drivers and passengers.

The bulk of crash test dummies were introduced in the US during the 1970s to mitigate the impact of car accidents. However, the models' shape, height and weight reflected the proportions of the average American male.

Dr Astrid Linder, the research director of traffic safety at the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Linköping, states that data regarding "low severity" impacts shows "females are at higher risk". According to US government statistics, women are up to three times more likely to experience whiplash, a neck and or spine injury, from automotive accidents. Although rarely fatal, whiplash can cause permanent and debilitating conditions. Dr Linder says, "we definitely need to have the part of the population at highest risk represented."

As a dummy for women, companies sometimes use a smaller version of the male surrogate, but weighing just 49 kilograms and with a height of 1.50 metres, this was modelled on the smallest 5% of women in the 1970s. It's now equivalent to the average measurements of a 12 year old girl in the US.

Weighing 62 kilograms and with a height of 1.62 metres, the Swedish institute dummy's a considerably more realistic reflection of the average woman.

The engineers subject the dummy to crash simulations and analyse the collision impact via special sensors placed all over its body, including on the surrogate's fully flexible spine and neck. These detect how women develop whiplash and how cars might be better equipped to prevent such injuries.