Autonomous Pedestrian Detection systems to get their own safety test

The pedestrian-avoidance braking software detects the threat, facilitates a rapid response and applies the optimum level of braking, all more effectively than a human being could manage. Dummies will be used by international vehicle safety body Euro NCAP to rank performance in three scenarios: an adult walking and then running into a car’s path, and a child walking out from behind a parked vehicle.

The model’s ability to slow or stop from 25mph without hitting the pedestrian, or to reduce the speed of impact from 37mph to a non-fatal level, will reflect in its score.

These systems could prevent thousands of deaths and life-changing injuries on the roads, and the Euro NCAP test results will allow potential purchasers to make an informed choice when choosing their next model.