The pedestrian crash prevention systems of 16 midsize cars have been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Four luxury and two nonluxury midsize cars earned a superior rating for their pedestrian crash prevention systems, while four nonluxury cars earned only a basic rating or no credit. Another six cars earned an advanced rating.
About two-thirds of the vehicles rated by IIHS in 2019 include pedestrian detection, in many cases as standard equipment. Among the vehicles evaluated in this current round of testing, pedestrian crash prevention comes as standard on all six luxury cars and six out of 10 nonluxury cars.
“Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users, so it’s encouraging that pedestrian crash prevention systems are standard equipment in 12 out of the 16 midsize cars we tested, including five out of six superior-rated systems,” said IIHS President David Harkey.
Annual pedestrian fatalities have increased 53 percent since reaching a low point in 2009, and more than 6,000 pedestrians were killed in 2018.
Many manufacturers are upgrading the automatic emergency braking systems they have agreed to install by 2022 to recognize pedestrians, in addition to other vehicles. These systems scan the path ahead and automatically apply the brakes to avoid hitting pedestrians in the roadway.
