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posted by chromas on Wednesday October 09 2019, @11:41PM   Printer-friendly
from the double-clutch-your-pearls dept.

Not only is the problem of cars killing pedestrians not going away, but the annual death toll over the last decade has actually increased by 35%. The proliferation of cars with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems that detect pedestrians is therefore a good thing, right?

According to a study by the American Automobile Association, maybe we shouldn't count on AEB. The association has just tested the pedestrian-detection behavior of four popular mid-sized model-year 2019 sedans—a Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Tesla Model 3, and Toyota Camry—in a variety of different scenarios. Unfortunately, the results are not promising, particularly when it comes to anything but the least challenging scenarios.

[...] The testing was all carried out on dry asphalt in a testing area marked out as a four-lane highway with a solid white line dividing the two middle lanes. For one other test, one of the speedway's surface streets was appropriated: a right turn with a 57-foot (17.3m)-radius curve. Different tests involved adult or child pedestrian targets moving at 3.1mph (5km/h), from left to right across the path of the test vehicle. For each test, the longitudinal distance and the time-to-collision was recorded when each vehicle gave a visual alert that a collision was imminent, as well as once the vehicle began to automatically brake. Impact speed or separation distance were recorded, depending upon the outcome of the test.

Unfortunately, the results of the tests were very much a mixed bag.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 10 2019, @01:59AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 10 2019, @01:59AM (#904999)

    If you are a pedestrian, and you get hit by a car, the fault is 100% yours.

    Great. I'll be sure not to walk anywhere, since the fault is, apparently, all mine. When you are driving and crossing a crosswalk, if you don't look out for pedestrians that could be crossing, then you are negligent, period. Sure, other person can be more negligent than you, but you are still negligent. But if I'm at a crosswalk, it gives me the all clear sound, no obvious cars coming my way, and my animal gives me the signal, then I'm going; and its now your problem if you don't see our reflective clothing going across the marked intersection.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by RS3 on Thursday October 10 2019, @05:22AM (1 child)

    by RS3 (6367) on Thursday October 10 2019, @05:22AM (#905069)

    If people are already in the crosswalk, of course a driver must pay attention and is responsible to avoid hitting the pedestrians. One big problem is that some pedestrians forget physics- mass, momentum, braking times, human reaction times, etc., and step out in front of cars expecting them to stop instantly.

    BTW, good on you if you wear reflectors. Almost nobody does.

    And in my area, many walk on the wrong side, wearing dark clothing.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 10 2019, @06:35AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 10 2019, @06:35AM (#905085)

      To be fair, I've only been told they are high visibility and they could be jet black, I've no way to tell myself! But yes every little bit helps. As for the side of the street, I do that too, but it does feel a bit weird to walk on the opposite side of the street. It also, understandably, makes my dog a bit skittish, as people tend to pass closer and faster when oncoming and when they think you see them, as opposed to the contrary situations. Of course, that depends on if they see you in the first place. I think if the law wasn't automatically against the driver in most situations, people might be more careful or, at least, less drivers would be ruined by something not their fault.