Toyota has created a new breed of virtual crash test dummies, to help design safer vehicles.

THUMS – Total Human Model for Safety – is a virtual representation of the human body that can provide vehicle engineers with precise data about the injuries real people might suffer in different kinds of vehicle accidents.

Computer modelling takes into account elements such as bone strength and skin flexibility, right down to ligaments and tendons.

Toyota has designed 30-40-year-old male and female occupant dummies and a male pedestrian dummy from the same age group.

The THUMS will be joined by a virtual child soon.