Toyota makes virtual crash test dummies available

Toyota makes virtual crash test dummies available

To increase road safety, the Toyota Motor Corporation is making its virtual crash test dummies freely accessible: From January 2021, the so-called THUMS (Total Human Model for Safety) can be used free of charge. Developed in collaboration with Toyota Central R&D Labs, Inc., the software helps analyze and predict human injuries caused in accidents and vehicle collisions.

With the THUMS, Toyota presented the world's first virtual crash test dummies in 2000. Since then, the company has successively developed and improved its software. The simulations take differences in gender, age and body type into account. With the sixth generation, which was introduced in 2019, different postures and human organs can be reproduced even better - including the brain and muscles. Compared to physical crash test dummies, injuries can be analyzed in more detail because the virtual models can be shaped more precisely and are also more durable. This enables more detailed testing in less time and with lower development costs.

More than 100 automobile manufacturers, suppliers, universities and research institutions worldwide already use THUMS. The virtual models help in the development of safety technologies such as seat belts, airbags and vehicle structures, which also influence the risk of injury to pedestrians, for example. Independent crash test organizations are currently examining the use of THUMS in future vehicle safety assessments. With its free availability, even more developers will be able to access the advanced software in the future, which should not only increase road safety. The usefulness of the software itself could also increase further, as users can independently make improvements to the virtual models and share the results with others.