Tommy and Fred: A Tale of Two Crash Dummies
Giancarlo Perlas July 15, 2020
Last June, Mercedes-Benz launched a series of shorts about two crash dummies named Tommy and Fred. The comedic duo is used to highlight the key safety features and tech of Mercedes cars.
Tommy appears more enthusiastic about his job but Fred is a more uptight character undergoing a midlife crisis. The former is always impressed with the features of Mercedes cars. Meanwhile, Fred is more inclined to getting and doing serious damage, because after all, that’s what crash dummies are for.
As of now, only three episodes of their tales are up on the YouTube channel of Mercedes. Here are the released videos so far:
The first episode demonstrates the brakes of Mercedes. Fred complains about it, because as a crash dummy, he has no use of it, and he loves crashes. In the end, they finish the test without a scratch, which leaves Fred more upset.
In the second episode, Fred is complaining because “Mercedes-Benz cars are getting too safe.” Here, it is shown that the lack of risk or injuries on the job is getting him bored. He also lets out a rant that reveals his midlife crisis.
The third and latest episode showcases the MBUX infotainment system. Tommy proceeds to use the system, which leaves no-chill Fred puzzled at first about where the voiceover of the software is coming from.
Tommy tells him that he can ask anything, so Fred tries to push his luck, which apparently agitates the AI. They finally end the video with a crash, but the two are left unscathed.
