IIHS Ratings Address Pedestrian Crashes

Feb. 21, 2019—IIHS has a goal to reduce pedestrian crashes with its new ratings of automatic emergency braking systems. And, in the first tests of 2018–19 vehicles with a crash avoidance feature, nine of 11 small SUVs evaluated earned an advanced or superior rating for pedestrian crash prevention.

The 2018–19 Honda CR-V, 2019 Subaru Forester, 2019 Toyota RAV4 and 2019 Volvo XC40 earned the highest rating of superior. 

Meanwhile, the two models that had the most difficulties with stopping time were the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander and the 2018-19 BMW X1. The Outlander was rated basic, and the BMW X1 didn't receive any credit for a rating. 

The ratings come amid renewed focus on the problem of crashes involving pedestrians. Pedestrian deaths have risen 45 percent since reaching their lowest point in 2009. In 2017, 5,977 pedestrians died in crashes in the U.S., down 2 percent from 2016, which marked the most deaths since 1990.

In general, pedestrian detection systems use a forward-facing mono camera or stereo cameras mounted near the rearview mirror plus radar sensors in the vehicle's front grille to continuously scan the roadway and horizon for pedestrians and, in some cases, bicyclists or animals, who might cross the vehicle's path.