What are crash test dummies and how are they used?

Crash test dummies (Anthropomorphic Test Devices - ATDs) are instrumented human surrogates used to measure injury potential during crash tests. They contain accelerometers, load cells, and deflection sensors to measure forces on body regions. Different dummies represent different occupants: HIII 50th percentile male, HIII 5th percentile female, child dummies, and side impact dummies (WorldSID, SID-IIs). Measurements are compared against injury criteria to evaluate safety system performance and regulatory compliance.