Meet SET 50F, the Female Crash Test Dummy

Ever since diagonal shoulder straps were installed in cars, I've hated the way they lay across my neck before disappearing under my armpit. That's because car designers and safety experts made them to fit a 5' 9" man. Or even more accurately, made them to fit a 5' 9" crash test dummy. The difference makes me fear what an air bag can do. While women drive fewer miles than men overall, they are more likely to be injured in an accident, most likely because car safety engineers are not obligated to take into account the differences in a woman's anatomy. For many years we've heard about the need for crash test dummies to be designed as women, but it has taken until now for that to happen.

A Swedish team led by engineer Astrid Linder has introduced SET 50F, the first adult crash test dummy with the anatomy and proportions of an average woman. She is 5' 3" tall and weighs 137 pounds. She had less muscle mass than a male crash test dummy, and sits further forward in a car. Her hips are wider, and her shoulders are narrower. With this new dummy available, will designers take a new look at how cars should be designed for women's safety? Read about the first female crash test dummy at ZME Science. -via Real Clear Science

(Image credit: Astrid Linder/VTI, Sweden)