Tests Used by Toyota

• Toyota developed a type of crash test dummy known as THUMS. Fstop/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Recent recalls by Toyota have increased consumer attention to Toyota safety testing. Toyota states that in addition to conducting collision tests using more advanced human-like models, Toyota studies driver behavior, collects auto accident data from around the world and conducts collision and crash tests on over 1,600 vehicles per year. However, new federal regulations in the U.S. for auto manufacturers mean that Toyota may be changing some of its safety testing methods and materials.

THUMS

• Toyota has created a new human model to help engineers understand the causes of injury in auto accidents. THUMS, or The Total Human Model for Safety, are models unlike previous test crash dummies. The materials are designed to mimic real human bones, muscles and ligaments during crashes. Toyota uses THUMS to test for driver, passenger and pedestrian safety. According to Toyota, presently more than 30 organizations in the auto industry, including other manufacturers, are using THUMS models. However, as of October 2010, the only THUMS models in existence represent adult male anatomy. In the U.S., safety test regulations launched in October 2010 by the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now require auto manufacturers to use dummies that represent a broader range of car occupant body types and weights, meaning that Toyota must quickly develop new THUMS, or use another type of crash test dummy.

Driver Behavior Testing

• Driving simulators create life-like situations for driver behavior tests. on the road image by Ivonne Wierink from Fotolia.com

  According to Toyota, 93 percent of all auto accidents are caused by simple human errors and a driver's decisions while behind the wheel. At the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center, Toyota studies driver behavior using a testing chamber designed to mimic real-life driving situations. The driving simulator is enclosed in a large dome and a screen displays high-resolution, realistic images 360 degrees around the human driver. The purpose of the simulator is to reproduce the sensation of driving completely, so the machine is equipped to reproduce road vibrations and noises like wind. The chamber is mounted on a hydraulic lift that shifts and leans to simulate acceleration and deceleration, and the feeling of driving through curves. According to Toyota, the simulator presents test subjects with common real-life driving situations that would be normally experienced during a commute to work or holiday travel. The simulator is used by Toyota engineers to test hazardous driving behavior such as falling asleep and drunk driving.

Collision Tests

• Toyota tests more than 1,600 vehicles yearly using collision tests and repeated crash tests. The Toyota Higashi-Fuji Technical Center is a state-of-the-art safety research facility, where engineers test vehicle performance in different types of accidents such as rollover collisions and fall-over accidents. The purpose of these tests is to improve the passive safety systems (things like seat belts and airbags) which protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

NHTSA Regulations and Crash Test Dummies

• In the U.S., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is focusing on ensuring more rigorous safety tests for auto manufacturers. The new Five Star Safety Ratings program, "Stars On Cars," provides an overall score for autos based on front-impact tests, side-impact tests and rollover-resistance tests. The Toyota Camry Hybrid was one of the first 20 vehicles rated using the new, tougher system and its safety score dropped from five to four stars, down to three stars overall. The NHTSA warns that nearly all vehicles will see a drop in safety ratings.