Modern cars are equipped with several automated safety systems, designed to help the driver avoid accidents.
A new study from American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) however, points to a serious flaw in an important security system.
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Testing of automatic emergency braking systems
The test focused on how the automatic emergency braking systems found on new cars perform against pedestrians in the dark, and it was found that they leave a lot to be desired.
The study used a Honda CR-V, a Mazda CX-5 and a Subaru Forester, all of which were of the 2023 model year.
The point of the automatic emergency braking systems is to activate the brakes if the driver does not react to a sudden obstacle in the road.
According to the IIHS, the systems reduce collisions with pedestrians by 27 percent, but that figure is mainly associated with driving in daylight.
Works poorly in the dark
In the dark, however, it turns out according to the IIHS that the systems hardly make any difference. Unfortunately, it is precisely in the dark that most incidents between cars and pedestrians occur.
At a speed of 40 km/h, both the Honda and the Mazda drove in an overwhelming majority of cases on the test dummies, regardless of how they were dressed.
The Subaru outperformed the other two cars, managing to stop before crashing into the dock in all but one of the tests.
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Worse protection with reflexes
The test in which the Subaru failed to avoid a crash was unexpected enough when the test dummy was wearing reflective clothing, which is normally a way for pedestrians to be seen better in the dark.
The Honda and Mazda also showed a similar pattern.
When the test dummies were dressed in black, the cars slowed down slightly—though not enough—before the collision, but when equipped with reflectors, the cars did not slow down at all.
– The placement and movement of reflective tape on parts of trousers and jackets allows drivers to quickly identify the movement pattern of a person, says David Kiddsenior researcher at the IIHS.
– However, the movements of the reflective strips unfortunately did not have the same effect on the automatic emergency braking systems we tested, and probably confused their sensors, he continues.
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