Part 572; Anthropomorphic Test Devices; Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint 50th Percentile Adult Male Dummy (THOR-50M)
Key claim: NHTSA is asking the public to comment on an extra spine design and a substitute face foam for the advanced THOR-50M crash-test dummy it proposed adding to federal vehicle-safety regulations in 2023.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Transportation Department, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) This document supplements NHTSA’s September 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking to amend NHTSA’s regulations to include an advanced crash test dummy (the Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR) 50th percentile adult male) by requesting comment on specifying an additional spine configuration and an alternative to the face foam, and announcing the availability of additional documents.
Why this matters
The THOR-50M is the next-generation 50th-percentile male crash-test dummy NHTSA proposed codifying in Part 572 in 2023 so it can be referenced by future FMVSS crashworthiness tests. Narrowing the spine and face-foam specifications affects how injury metrics are measured and how reproducible test results will be across labs, which in turn shapes vehicle restraint and interior designs. Public comment at this stage determines the final technical baseline before the dummy becomes a regulatory reference tool.