Car crash test dummies have long been modeled exclusively on the average male body. Yet the average female body has a different weight distribution and center of gravity. And without that data being integrated into testing and product design, women are more vulnerable on the road—they’re statistically more likely to get injured in car accidents. So the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute is driving change: developing what’s believed to be the first crash test dummy based on the average female body. The team began by digging into data from the University of Michigan’s body shape database, humanshape.org. Then it tested potential dummies using virtual simulation software to simulate hundreds of different car crashes. Now the team is examining how the female dummy responds differently in low-severity rear-impact collisions, looking at data including velocity of impact, crushing force, and braking rates. Ultimately, this could lead to more inclusive safety regula...