U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has revealed the design for a new advanced female crash test dummy, named THOR-05F. This development is part of an effort to address the higher injury rates women face in certain car crashes compared to men. The initiative began during the first Trump Administration and aims to improve safety by accounting for biological differences between male and female anatomies.
The existing Hybrid III dummy has been used for years, but advancements in technology now allow for more precise testing that considers these anatomical differences. This move aligns with President Trump's Executive Order on "Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," which emphasizes recognizing sex-based differences in safety designs.
"The Left doesn’t want to hear it, but the science is clear: there are only two sexes – male and female," said Secretary Duffy. He emphasized that this biological fact is crucial for car design safety considerations. "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."
Jonathan Morrison, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), highlighted the importance of understanding how women are differently impacted in crashes to reduce fatalities. "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," he said.
The THOR-05F is equipped with over 150 sensors, providing three times more injury measurements than current dummies. It will help assess risks such as brain, thorax, abdominal, pelvic, and lower leg injuries specifically for small female occupants.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) continues its efforts to enhance transportation safety across various domains. Recently, USDOT announced $19.6 million in grants through its Small Shipyard Grant Program aimed at modernizing shipyards and increasing employment opportunities (https://www.maritime.dot.gov/newsroom/maritime-administration-awards-nearly-20-million-funding-strengthen-us-shipyard-economic). Additionally, USDOT celebrated the ADA's anniversary by awarding $5 million through its Inclusive Design Challenge to improve mobility options for people with disabilities (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/anniversary-ada-usdot-announces-winners-its-first-ever-inclusive-design-challenge).
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