What was the first crash-test dummy, created in 1949, called?

The first crash-test dummy, created in 1949, was called Sierra Sam.

Sierra Sam was developed by Samuel W. Alderson at Alderson Research Laboratories and Sierra Engineering Company. It was made for the U.S. Air Force to test ejection seats, aviation helmets, and pilot restraint harnesses—rather than being designed solely for automobile testing. The dummy could endure acceleration levels and rocket-sled tests that would have been impossible for human volunteers.

The original Sierra Sam represented a 95th-percentile adult male: it was taller and heavier than approximately 95 percent of adult men. That does not mean it was a realistic average person. Later dummies were designed for different body sizes and more detailed biomechanical responses.

A common mix-up is choosing Hybrid I, Hybrid II, or Hybrid III. Those are later generations of automotive dummies. Hybrid I appeared in 1971 after General Motors combined features from earlier Sierra and Alderson designs, while Hybrid III became a widely used modern standard for frontal crash testing.