That use of animals in the tests was attacked by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a group based in Rockville, Md., that opposes all animal testing. "In an age when computer models and state-of-the-art dummies are the order of the day, they're still killing innocent animals in the name of science," said Dan Mathews, the group's special projects director.

Because of advances in the use of computer models and dummies, most such testing of animals has been phased out since it was started in the 1970's, said George Parker, director of research and development for the Government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Mr. Postma said the company still did a "relatively minor amount" of animal testing. They include experiments that result in skin shredding, chest injury and polluting of the lungs with auto emissions.

Mr. Postma said about 19,000 animals were killed in testing in the last decade, mostly mice and rats. He added that the animals were not in pain at any time and that they were anesthetized, then killed before they regain consciousness.

The company's position got some support from the director of the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute, Patricia F. Waller, who said computer tests could not completely replace other types of research. "Even with a computer," she said, "it's very difficult to simulate a human body completely, to make everything respond the way the human body responds."