Why the "dummies" of the crash test cars have that name?

The dummies are the dummies used in vehicle crash tests to verify the effectiveness of security systems that incorporate cars. Why has this strange name?

" Dummies "is actually the plural of the word" Dummy, "which in English means literally" dummy "but can also be understood in a colloquial and familiar as" fool "or" dumb. " The first test Dummy made in America in 1949 . Her name was Sierra Sam and was designed to test the operation of the ejection seats of fighter jets for the military. Later tests would be used for car and finally assume the name of "dummies" in both their country of origin and the other states, as in the case of Spain.

Ford , for example, developed in the mid-50's two human-like dummies to investigate the effectiveness of their security systems. I called them and FERD FERD II and were made ​​of steel (the area that mimicked bone) and soft and hard plastic to simulate muscles and skin.
Currently these devices are very complex and can reach more than € 50,000 cost with all the instruments required for their study and management. As explained in the Ford safety engineer, Jake Head, " the crash test dummies of today are very complex devices , "and they depend on the systems of active and passive safety work properly.