Increase Safety Standards, New Collision Test Dolls Designed Specially According To Women's Anatomy

JAKARTA - The United States highway safety authority, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), announced the use of a new generation hit test doll called THOR-05F. This device is specially designed based on the anatomy of the female body and is a new step in increasing the accuracy of vehicle safety testing.

For decades, the automotive industry relied on old model hit-and-run test dolls designed based on adult male posture. The model was later reduced to represent women, as reported by Carandriver, Thursday, November 27.

However, the approach is considered less representative of the female body structure accurately, especially in the neck, chest, pelvic, and spine.THOR-05F is developed using female anthropometry data, complete with frame structure, mass distribution, and more realistic sensor points.

This test doll is equipped with more than 150 sensors to measure the impact force in various areas of the body, including the head, neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, pelvis, to legs. The number of sensors is far more numerous than the previous generation's dolls.

The most significant difference is seen in the flexibility of the spine and neck. THOR-05F is able to mimic human natural movements, including bend, twist, and tilted to the side.

This allows for more detailed injury measurements when a collision occurs, especially in frontal collision scenarios. This step was taken after various studies showed that women had higher risk of injury than men at the time of the accident.

In frontal collisions, women are said to be more likely to suffer serious injuries of up to 73 percent and have a higher risk of dying by about 17 percent than men, mostly because the design of safety devices has been optimized for men's bodies.

With the presence of THOR-05F, the impact test results data is expected to be more accurate in describing the risk of injury to female passengers.

This information will be used to perfect the design of seat belts, air bags, and the cabin structure of vehicles in order to provide more equitable protection.

Although it has been adopted by NHTSA, the full application of THOR-05F into vehicle safety assessment procedures is still awaiting the improvement of technical regulations.

The automotive industry is expected to take time to adjust the testing process to the new specifications of this test doll. The presence of THOR-05F is considered an important step towards a more inclusive safety standard, with the main goal of reducing the risk of serious injury for all passengers without exception.