TOYOTA CITY, JAPAN - Toyota Motor Corp. said that the latest version of its THUMS virtual human model allows more detailed analysis of internal-organ injuries caused by automobile collisions. 

The THUMS Version 4 model of an adult male of average build adds detailed models of internal organs to the previous version's models of bones and the brain. This enables analysis of injuries to a wider range of internal organs. Internal organs are particularly vulnerable during collisions, with injuries to them accounting for approximately half of all sustained during automobile collisions. 

To develop Version 4, Toyota worked with outside research institutes including universities and utilized a high-precision computed tomography (CT) scanner to make detailed measurements of the internal structure of the human body. Toyota created precise models of various internal organs, as well as the positions of and relations between those organs, to construct a virtual human model containing approximately 14 times more information than the previous version. As a result, for analysis of internal injuries, Version 4 can simulate in greater detail how, during a collision, areas of the torso become deformed and internal organs are damaged, Toyota said 

Toyota said it intends to continue to use THUMS for analyzing internal injuries resulting from automobile collisions. The automaker applies the results to developing and improving safety devices such as seatbelts and airbags. Toyota also plans to add models of a small female and a large male to its virtual-human-model lineup to enable simulation of a wider range of accident situations. 

Toyota Technical Development Corporation, a Toyota Motor Corp. subsidiary, plans to begin selling THUMS Version 4 in the autumn of 2010.