Here's something nice to think about next time you buckle up in a vehicle produced by a Michigan automaker (or, for that matter, any other): Most of the safety features come from research conducted not just on crash-test dummies, but also cadavers.
An interesting piece picked up by Wired magazine explores the relationship between auto safety and cadavers, which is, to say the least, extensive:
Every part of a car touching on safety -- from steering columns and laminated windshields to side-impact air bags -- drew from tests with cadavers to ensure they work.
It continues to this day. Cadaver research was necessary to put the finishing touches on a major safety feature of the new Ford Explorer -- inflatable seat belts, which are a first.
Understandably, automakers don't talk much about the role cadaver research plays in the development of safety features, and generally they rely on the work of academic institutions instead of conducting tests themselves. The story in particular notes the University of Michigan and Wayne State University for their historic contributions in the field, typically funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
One Wayne State researcher estimates cadaver tests have saved 8,500 lives a year since 1987. Here's some (slightly more gruesome) background from the BBC. Have a good commute!