In Mercedes-Benz's frontal crash tests, the dummy 20, which is approximately 1,5 meters tall and weighs 49 kilograms, is equivalent to the traditional male dummy Hybrid III 50, which has been in the driver, front passenger and rear passenger seats for 150 years and is called the 'fifth percentile female'. It has a large number of sensors with measuring points of up to . This means that Mercedes-Benz introduced its model before it was officially required by law. The mannequin realistically reflects female anthropometry. Basic statistics say that only five percent of American women are shorter or lighter. Ratings from consumer protection associations and various laws around the world include specifications for testing with fifth percentile female dummies, while Mercedes-Benz has also used the SID-II female dummy in crash tests for two decades. This manikin, which has an anatomy similar to the Hybrid III 5, was designed specifically for side impact tests.
21 mannequins in 120 different versions are subjected to up to 900 crash tests each year
Mercedes-Benz, which is considered the inventor of modern vehicle safety, is still one of the leading vehicle manufacturers in this field and has been investigating accidents involving Mercedes-Benz vehicles at its own accident research center for more than 50 years. These studies aim to understand how accidents occur and what advanced safety systems can prevent them, and use findings from real-life accidents to create the necessary conditions for crash tests. Up to 900 crash tests and 1.700 sled tests are carried out each year at the Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Safety Technology Center in Sindelfingen, from toddlers to children of all ages, from fifth percentile female mannequins to 50th percentile male mannequins and large, heavy male mannequins. It contains 21 mannequins in different versions. The results of crash tests and accident investigations are used to help develop new safety technologies and improve existing systems.
Common misconceptions about crash tests
While the issue of female models is widely discussed in public these days, Mercedes-Benz Model Test Manager Hanna Paul explains the misconceptions about the six most common myths.
Saying that the rumor that cars protect men more than women is not true, Hanna Paul says that as a result of their accident tests, there is no difference between genders in serious injury or fatal accidents. Stating that there are rumors about statistics showing that women are less protected, Paul said, “The history of this issue dates back to the 1980s. At that time, women drove smaller cars. However, today there have been great developments in security. The most necessary security measures are provided even in the smallest cars. That's why this issue is also a rumor. Just as male models are predominantly used in crash tests. At Mercedes-Benz, we have been improving our safety measures by using both male and female mannequins for more than 20 years. "This result also shows that the rumor that accident test mannequins do not represent different body types is not true," he said, emphasizing that they used more than 3,5 mannequins representing young people and adults with various body types, from a 120 kilogram baby to Mercedes-Benz tests.
Stating that it is also said that pregnant women are more affected by accidents, Hanna Paul said: “Pregnant women are not at more risk than other drivers. "When used correctly, regular three-point seat belts protect both pregnant women and their children from harm in the event of an accident," he says. Stating that it should not be expected to replace physical crash tests with simulations in the coming period, Paul underlines that vehicle crash tests are necessary to verify simulations based on many assumptions, and that laws and regulations require this. He states that at Mercedes-Benz, they are working on human body models that will represent human anatomy (bones, muscles and organs) in detail, thus allowing researchers to evaluate the actual type of injury that a particular part of the body may suffer, rather than simply calculating the probability of injury severity.