Toyota Software Update Models Pre-Crash Body Position

Toyota Motor Corp. says it has updated its virtual crash dummy modeling software Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) to take into account how passengers brace themselves for an impeding collision.

The previous generation of THUMS was capable of simulating post-collision changes in posture but not reflexive defensive actions that passengers often take prior to an impact.

A new muscle model added to the THUMS 5 software allows the system to test a range of relaxed and braced passenger positions and postures during crashes. This allows developers to better evaluate the potential for injuries and the effectiveness of various active and passive safety devices, Toyota says. It notes that a passenger's posture can have a big effect on how his or her body moves during a car crash.

THUMS Version 5 is available through Tokyo-based JSOL Corp. and ESI Japan. Toyota launched the first generation THUMS in 2000 as a means to simulate bone fractures and other injuries stemming from vehicle crashes. Subsequent iterations added injury modeling for a person's face, brain and internal organs.