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History of Crash Test Dummies
Through the hundred plus year history of the automobile, safety has always been a serious concern.
In fact, the fatality rate of 15.6 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the 1930s was many times our
current rate of 1.8, even though we have millions of more cars on the road today. This notable progress
is due in part to manufacturers’ diligent efforts to design cars so that fewer injuries occur during
accidents. Crash test dummies, like those developed and manufactured by First Technology Safety
Systems (FTSS), play a major role in making cars safer.
The History
1930s Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles reach 15.6. Auto designers begin to pay serious
attention to safety.
1949 Alderson Research Labs (ARL) Sierra Engineering build "Sierra Sam," an engineering dummy.
Early 1950s Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories study vehicle accidents to determine how to make
cars safer. "Gard Dummy," a research dummy, is produced by Grumman-Alderson.
1950 Hollaman Air Force Base conducts crash tests using the ARL VIP 50th Dummy and Sierra Sam.
Late 1950s First cars with significant safety features introduced.
1950 - 1970 Automotive crash test dummies are developed based on aerospace models. 50th and
95th percentile males and 5th percentile female dummies produced.
1971 The Hybrid I, a standardization of the ARL & Sierra 50th percentile male dummies, is introduced.
1972 The Hybrid II is developed, with improved shoulders, spine and knees. It also offered better documentation than the Hybrid I
1973 The standard Hybrid II 50th percentile dummy is introduced. National Highway Transportation
Safety Administration (NHTSA) contracts with General Motors to produce improved heads, necks,
joints, ribs, knees, human-like posture and a new spine design. (ATD 502) Highway Safety Research
Institute (HSRI) receives contract from Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (MVMA) to develop
a 50th percentile male dummy with a new head, neck, thorax, spine, lumbar, pelvis, legs and joints.
1976 Hybrid III is introduced. General Motors improves ATD 502 with a new neck, thorax and more
transducers for more extensive data.
1979 - 1987 NHTSA contracts with the University of Michigan Transportation Institute (UMTRI) to
produce a new side impact dummy (SID). It is a Hybrid II type dummy with a new thorax.
1988 - 1989 Humanetics and SAE develop Hybrid III type small female and large male scaled
dummies from Hybrid III 50th dummy. General Motors and Society of Automotive Engineers
(SAE) develop Biosid, a Hybrid III based biofidelic side-impact dummy. AATD (advanced
dummy project) completed. University of Michigan and Wayne State University receive NHTSA
contract to develop an advanced dummy. First Technology Safety Systems is a subcontractor.
1995 - 1996 First Technology Safety Systems and Occupant Safety Research Partnership jointly
develop the SID IIs, a small adult/teenager side impact dummy for side air bag development.
1996 First Technology Safety Systems develops the FT-Arup™ FE-Model Series, a highly precise
and detailed finite element crash test dummy computer model.
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