A crash-test dummy is an instrumented model of a specific vehicle occupant—not a miniature person and not a universal stand-in for everyone. Its dimensions, mass, joints and sensors are chosen for a particular age or body size and type of crash. Those sensors record how the dummy moves and loads during an impact; engineers use the results and injury criteria to estimate potential human injury, not to diagnose an actual person.
What a crash-test dummy is designed to represent
The technical term is Anthropomorphic Test Device, or ATD. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says its codified use dates to the 1970s. Since then, the agency’s inventory has included devices representing occupants from newborns and children to small adult females and midsize adult males. Each model has a defined role; there is no single dummy anatomy used for every test. NHTSA’s crash-test dummy overview lists examples including a 5th-percentile adult female Hybrid III, the SID-IIs small adult female, child Hybrid III models, a CRABI infant and a CAMI newborn dummy.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A device must do more than look like its intended occupant. NHTSA assesses anthropometry (body dimensions), mass properties, joint properties such as range of motion, and response to crash forces. Engineers also need a device that can withstand repeated tests and produce consistent results. As NHTSA put it, “Biofidelity and durability are often competing priorities.” The agency’s 2023 report on crash-test dummies describes this design trade-off.
What is inside—and why the anatomy varies
There is no universal parts list, component count or sensor arrangement. Construction depends on the model and the evaluation. Dummies combine body-like external dimensions with internal mass and joints designed to produce a specified response under impact. Their measurements and performance requirements can focus on particular body regions relevant to a test, rather than reproducing every feature of human anatomy.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Size】1/12 Scale Male Action Figure.
- 【Feature】This 1/12 Scale action figure is flexible and it is portable,you can put it in you pocket.
- 【Wide Use】You can use this 1/12 action figure to Cosplay or Decorate style design, photographing, drawing, exhibition, and collection, etc.
- 【Material】Made from high quality Plastic.
- 【Note】If you have any questions, you can feel free to contact to us.
Head, torso, limbs and joints
Test dummies can carry sensors in the head, torso, arms and legs. The joints and mass distribution help determine how those body regions move as the vehicle decelerates or is struck. The details differ between devices: a dummy intended for a side-impact evaluation, for example, is not interchangeable with a child dummy used to assess a restraint.
Pelvis and thorax
Some model-specific designs include detailed features for the chest, abdomen and pelvis. NHTSA’s Low-Obstruction Detection Child (LODC) ATD, a newer child-device example, has a flexible thoracic spine, a human-like thorax, an instrumented abdomen and an anatomically accurate pelvis. NHTSA described it as a device under evaluation against pediatric biomechanical data and existing ATDs—not as a feature set shared by every dummy. NHTSA’s LODC page explains its development and potential use across frontal and non-frontal crash conditions.
Rank #2
- 【Titan 13 Multi Jointed Action Figures】Each joint of the Titan 13 robot action figure is fully movable, allowing for a variety of poses and movements. It also comes with three different hand shapes and four weapon options for fun styling capabilities
- 【Premium Quality Materials】All nova 13 action figures are produced using 3D printers and are made from ABS and plastic. Choose from a wide range of colours to combine unique colours to personalise the dummy robot 13 action figure to suit preferences or create eye-catching designs.
- 【Assembly Complete】These action figures are assembled from plastic material, so you can personalise the robot figure with striking poses to your liking. In the meantime, we have the Titan 13 Robot Action Figure assembled and ready to play with when you receive it.
- 【Unique Design】Our nova 13 action figure is more than just a Robot Action Figure, it can also be used for table tops, backpacks, and other great decorations that can be posed in a variety of action-packed poses to add a touch of style to any space.
- 【Perfect Gift】The titan 13 action figure is ideal for robotics enthusiasts and collectors, perfect for birthdays, Christmas, holidays, any celebration or special occasion.
Region-specific performance
Individual tests can set performance requirements for particular anatomy. In its summary of the SID-IIs final rule, the U.S. Department of Transportation discusses requirements involving the thorax, arm, pelvic acetabulum and iliac wing, including adjusted iliac performance criteria and revised test procedures. These details illustrate why “what is inside” depends on which dummy and test are being discussed. The DOT final-rule summary covers the SID-IIs requirements.
How sensors turn a crash into measurements
During a crash test, sensors measure the dummy’s response to forces and motion. IIHS says current test dummies can carry up to 200 sensors across the head, torso, arms and legs; that is an upper figure, not a count for every device. Becky Mueller, an IIHS senior research engineer, explained: “For this reason, we rely on measurements recorded by sensors in the dummy to tell us how a human body would respond.” The reason, she notes, is that a dummy’s metal bones do not break like human bones. IIHS’s 2025 explanation of dummy measurements describes how readings are used to infer human response.
Rank #3
- 【Titan 13 Multi Jointed Action Figures】Each joint of the Titan 13 robot action figure is fully movable, allowing for a variety of poses and movements. It also comes with three different hand shapes and four weapon options for fun styling capabilities
- 【Premium Quality Materials】All nova 13 action figures are produced using 3D printers and are made from ABS and plastic. Choose from a wide range of colours to combine unique colours to personalise the dummy robot 13 action figure to suit preferences or create eye-catching designs.
- 【Assembly Complete】These action figures are assembled from plastic material, so you can personalise the robot figure with striking poses to your liking. In the meantime, we have the Titan 13 Robot Action Figure assembled and ready to play with when you receive it.
- 【Unique Design】Our nova 13 action figure is more than just a Robot Action Figure, it can also be used for table tops, backpacks, and other great decorations that can be posed in a variety of action-packed poses to add a touch of style to any space.
- 【Perfect Gift】The Titan 13 action figure is ideal for robotics enthusiasts and collectors, perfect for birthdays, Christmas, holidays, any celebration or special occasion.
A reading is not an injury report. Researchers interpret sensor data using biomechanical measures and injury criteria, alongside observations of dummy motion and vehicle structure. For example, the head injury criterion (HIC) uses the duration of head acceleration to assess risks such as skull fracture in linear impacts. Rotational head motion may call for additional measures. In January 2025, IIHS described DAMAGE as a rotational head-injury metric it was tracking in technical reports, while saying it was not then ready to add DAMAGE scores to its ratings. IIHS’s discussion of injury criteria provides that status and context.
In the same 2025 article, IIHS gave an example of a simple injury measure: 1,400 pounds of combined pelvic force corresponds to a 45% risk of pelvic fracture under the cited criterion. That figure is an illustration of how a threshold can be related to risk, not a universal rule for every pelvis, crash or person.
Rank #4
- Designed by Soozafone: MerryXD 3D printed T13 robot series is designed by the talented artist soozafone, known for exquisite workmanship and attention to detail.
- Fully Articulated Titan 13 Action Figure: Titan 13 features fully movable joints, allowing for dynamic poses and actions. With three hand types and four weapon options, customize its appearance and role for endless play possibilities.
- Customizable Color Combinations: Choose from various colors to assemble unique combinations, personalizing the Titan 13 Action Figure to match preferences or create eye-catching designs.
- High Playability & Quality: Crafted with PETG environmental plastic, the Lucky 13 Action Figure boasts exceptional durability. Its movable joints and abundant accessories enable versatile posing, making it ideal for play, display, drawing, and photography.A high-quality gift for collectors and hobbyists, perfect for birthdays,Christmas,holidays, any celebration or special occasions.
- Versatile Decorative Piece: Beyond play, the Nova 13 Action Figure serves as a stylish desktop decoration or stress-relieving tool. Attach it to desks or backpacks for on-the-go fun and relaxation.
Why different tests use different dummies
Dummy selection depends on the occupant being represented, the crash direction and the question the test is meant to answer. A device suited to an adult frontal-impact evaluation may not provide the right body size or measurements for a side-impact test or a child-restraint assessment.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
| Comparison point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Represented occupant | Age, size and body dimensions shape the model’s intended population; no single device stands for all people. |
| Crash direction and test purpose | Frontal, side-impact, airbag-risk and child-restraint evaluations may require different models. |
| Body response | Mass, dimensions, joint behavior and region-specific performance requirements affect how a device responds. |
| Measurements and criteria | Sensor placement and injury measures determine which motions or loads a test can evaluate. |
| Test practicality | Durability and repeatability matter alongside human-like response. |
NHTSA’s 2024 advanced-dummy plan named THOR 50th-percentile male and 5th-percentile female devices for frontal impacts and WorldSID devices for side impacts. The plan described six advanced dummies in development at publication, alongside work on female-specific injury data, injury criteria and computer modeling. That status describes the plan, not proof that those devices have replaced established models or are all adopted into regulations. NHTSA’s 2024 advanced ATD plan sets out the agency’s stated development effort.
Best Value
- Model Size: 1/12 scale nude male body action figure.
- Material: Made of high-quality PVC material. Lightweight and durable, anti-worn and anti-corrosion.
- Feature: The joint parts are movable. You can pose it as you like.
- Suitable: Used for role design, cosplay, style design, artwork, drawing, photographing, exhibition, collection, etc.
- Note: Feel free to contact us if you have any question.
What crash-test dummy results can—and cannot—tell you
A dummy provides repeatable evidence about how a specified model responds in a defined test. It does not represent every person in the vehicle, and its sensors do not directly reveal what injuries a real occupant would sustain. Injury implications depend on how measurements are interpreted using biomechanical evidence and criteria. A newer or more heavily instrumented dummy is not automatically better for every test: suitability depends on the occupant, crash mode and validated measures.
IIHS reported in 2025 that its analysis of about 800 dummies scored found about 60 with potentially harmful head motions that DAMAGE revealed beyond HIC. Those figures describe IIHS’s analysis, not the frequency of injury in real crashes or a universal rate across all tests. They also illustrate why measurement methods can evolve as researchers study motions that older criteria may not capture.
How dummy design is changing
Advanced devices aim to improve the evidence available for occupant groups or crash conditions that established models do not capture as well. NHTSA’s LODC child ATD is an example of a prototype described by the agency as its first child ATD designed and built fully in-house. NHTSA said it was comparing the device with pediatric biomechanical data and existing ATDs, and described its omnidirectional design as a candidate for frontal and non-frontal testing, including in vehicles with automated-driving systems. This is development work, not a claim that the LODC has become the standard dummy for child testing.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For any dummy, the useful question is not simply how human-like it looks or how many sensors it contains. It is whether the device’s represented occupant, body response and validated measurements match the safety question the test is designed to answer.
