Vehicle Safety and NHTSA

The Transportation Department has finalized specifications for the THOR‑05F crash test dummy and said it will be considered for inclusion in NHTSA’s five‑star safety ratings once a final rule is adopted, a step NHTSA called “long overdue” though tests and ratings have not yet been rewritten. The THOR‑05F (a 5th‑percentile female) models anatomical differences tied to women’s injury patterns, can cost more than $1 million, has drawn bipartisan political support and international interest, and prompted some industry skepticism about how it will change injury‑risk evaluations.