Car makers are making significant advancements in automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems after the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) introduced a more stringent front crash prevention test. Out of 30 newly evaluated vehicles, 22 earned good or acceptable ratings, a substantial improvement from earlier tests.
Tougher Testing for Better Safety
The latest evaluation pushes vehicles to perform at higher speeds—31, 37, and 43 mph—while detecting not just passenger cars but also motorcycles and semitrailers. These changes reflect real-world crash scenarios, including high-fatality rear-end collisions involving motorcycles and semitrailers. Vehicles are scored based on their ability to provide timely forward collision warnings and apply emergency braking effectively.
“The rapid progress manufacturers have made to improve these vital crash avoidance systems is impressive,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Vehicles that excel in this new test will save lives, as it addresses the most dangerous kinds of front-to-rear crashes.”
How Vehicles Performed
Top-rated systems successfully avoided collisions in all tests with passenger car targets and performed well in most motorcycle scenarios. However, some vehicles struggled to prevent impacts at higher speeds, especially with motorcycles. Poor-rated vehicles failed to slow down adequately in multiple scenarios, hitting motorcycle targets even at 31 mph.
“These results indicate that preventing crashes at higher speeds, especially collisions with motorcycles, remains a challenge for some systems,” Harkey said. “Motorcycles are a special area of concern because, unlike passenger vehicle occupants, riders have little protection from crash injuries.”
As automakers continue refining AEB technology, these advancements promise safer roads and reduced rear-end crash fatalities.
