Maybe not everyone knows it, but automotive safety has always had a blind spot: women. For too long, crash tests have focused exclusively on male dummies, ignoring the specific anatomical needs of women.
Now, a team of Swedish researchers has introduced the first female crash test dummy, challenging decades of norms and laying the foundations for more equitable and inclusive road safety.
Incredible that it wasn't there: how can an industry rely on half the population and expect complete results? The answer is simple: it can't. That's why this advancement presented by Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) It's an extraordinary step forward.
Behind the crash test data there is a clear reality
Although men are more involved in fatal accidents than women globally, a report of the United States Department of Transportation revealed that women they have a 17% higher risk of losing your life in a car accident and are also 75% more likely to suffer serious injuries. Why? The answer may lie in the vehicle design process, starting with crash tests.
To fully understand the impact of accidents on the female body, the Swedish research body has developed SET 50F, the first adult female crash test dummy. Astrid Linder, the engineer leading the project, highlighted the importance of representing both genders when evaluating automotive safety. After all, both men and women use cars and roads, so why should only one of them be the norm in tests?
Anatomy and safety: a crucial combination
Women, in general, have lower muscle mass and body weight than men. These anatomical differences influence the dynamics of an accident. For example, women, being generally lighter, are thrown forward with greater force in the event of a collision. Additionally, their lower bone and muscle mass makes them more susceptible to fractures and serious injuries.
The results obtained in crash tests suggest that the SET 50F can be used to evaluate the safety of any average adult woman approximately 160cm (5 feet 3 inches) tall and weighing approximately 62 kilos (137 pounds), during a “low severity rear impact” car accident.
According to researchers, it represents at least 25-50% of women. There is no other actively used car crash dummy in the world that covers such a large female population.
The other half of the cockpit
With the introduction of crash tests also based on female physiology, there is hope for a future in which automotive safety takes everyone into account, regardless of gender. This dummy, based on real data and extensive testing, could be the key to ensuring that cars of the future are safe for everyone.
