The U.S. Department of Transportation has introduced a long-overdue safety breakthrough—a new female crash test dummy designed to reflect the real biological differences between men and women. The THOR-05F model will allow automakers to better measure how crashes impact female drivers and passengers, something critics say the federal government has ignored for decades.
The female-specific dummy replaces the outdated “Hybrid III” model used since the 1980s, which was little more than a shrunken version of a male dummy. The previous model offered minimal distinction in anatomy and was rarely tested in the driver’s seat, despite the fact that most licensed drivers are now women.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made clear that this upgrade has a bigger message. “The Left doesn’t want to hear it, but the science is clear: there are only two sexes—male and female,” Duffy said Thursday. “That biological fact isn’t just a talking point—it’s an important safety consideration when designing cars.”
Duffy credited the Trump administration for pushing through the update after years of delays under previous leadership. “Under the leadership of President Trump, this Department will continue to put the safety of American families—including women—first.”
According to federal data, women are 73% more likely to be injured in a head-on crash and 17% more likely to die than men. The new THOR-05F dummy addresses that disparity with enhanced sensors in critical areas like the pelvis, abdomen, arms, neck, and spine to better simulate how crashes affect the female body.
The Department of Transportation has released the specifications to automakers so they can begin building and using the THOR-05F in vehicle testing.
The move not only reinforces biological reality but also puts safety and science ahead of ideology—a firm stance in today’s increasingly politicized regulatory environment.
