 CAL invented the first crash test dummy in 1948 , the automotive seat belt in 1951 , the first mobile field unit with Doppler weather radar for weather @-@ tracking in 1956 , the first accurate airborne simulation of another aircraft ( the North American X @-@ 15 ) in 1960 , the first successful demonstration of an automatic terrain @-@ following radar system in 1964 , the first use of a laser beam to successfully measure gas density in 1966 , the first independent <unk> sled test facility to evaluate automotive restraint systems in 1967 , the <unk> , an instrument for research on neuromuscular behavior and disorders in 1969 , and the prototype for the Federal Bureau of Investigation 's fingerprint reading system in 1972 . CAL served as an " honest broker " making objective comparisons of competing plans to build military hardware . It also conducted classified counter @-@ insurgency research in Thailand for the Defense Department . By the time of its divestiture , CAL had 1 @,@ 600 employees . CAL conducted wind tunnel test on models of a number of skyscraper buildings , including most notably the John Hancock Tower in Boston , Massachusetts and the 40 @-@ story Commerce House in Seattle , Washington . 
