Crash dummies around the world are probably rejoicing with Toyota's latest version of its virtual crash dummy software.

Toyota, in a press release detailing the software, claimed that about half of drivers take certain defensive actions such as sudden steering or braking to avoid collisions. At the same time, passengers usually brace themselves for impact.

The posture of the passengers, whether they are relaxed or braced, has a huge effect on the movement of their bodies during a car crash. However, the virtual crash dummies currently used are not able to copy the reflexive defensive actions that humans perform during the moment right before impact, such as bracing their bodies for the collision.

To address the limitation, Toyota has included a new muscle model that is capable of simulating the posture of humans in the latest iteration of the Total Human Model for Safety, or THUMS, virtual human model software. THUMS 5 is now capable of simulating different states of humans being in a relaxed position or a braced position, allowing for more detailed analysis of potential injuries from collisions.

Before the update, THUMS was only capable of simulating the changes in posture after a collision. However, with the new muscle model included in the THUMS 5 software, changes to the postures of passengers compared with their positions before a collision can be analyzed.

THUMS 5 allows for more accurate studies on the effectiveness of safety components such as airbags and seatbelts, as well as active safety technology including pre-collision systems.

THUMS is now being used by several companies, including manufacturers of automobiles and car parts. The software simulates many characteristics of the different body parts of humans, from the overall shape to skin and bones. Thus, the software allows for deep analysis on possible damages of car crashes, such as bone fractures and other injuries, allowing crash test dummies to go on the vacations that they deserve.

Development on THUMS began in 1997, with the first version of the software being launched back in 2000. THUMS 2 was released in 2004 and added faces and bones to the human models. In THUMS 3, released in 2006, a more precise model of the brain was included, and in THUMS 4, launched in 2010, detailed models for internal organs were added.