VSI Labs’ research vehicle, fitted with an automatic emergency braking (AEB) thermal camera from Teledyne, has passed all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 127 pedestrian automatic emergency braking (PAEB) testing scenarios. In contrast, three new 2024 vehicles failed two or more night-time test scenarios.
FMVSS No. 127 mandates the inclusion of PAEB systems in all passenger cars and light trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 lb (4,536kg) or less by September 2029. The new regulation requires that systems be able to detect pedestrians in various lighting conditions and at increased vehicle speeds. This is especially critical as pedestrian fatalities in traffic crashes remain near all-time highs, particularly at night, when 77.7% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2022, according to Teledyne.
Using tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) demonstrated last year that meeting FMVSS No. 127 requirements is achievable. The smallest and lightest vehicle of the five commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) vehicles the agency tested – the 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid XLE – passed all PAEB tests at the maximum required speed. The other four COTS vehicles that NHTSA tested failed one or more of the low headlight beam night-time tests. This suggests that increased speed and vehicle weight combined with decreased visibility challenge existing AEB sensors.
VSI Labs tested the performance of a thermal-fused PAEB system on a Ford Fusion Hybrid research vehicle and three current state-of-the-art 2024 COTS PAEB systems. The thermal-fused AEB sensor suite featured Teledyne FLIR’s latest longwave infrared (LWIR) automotive thermal camera, an automotive HD radar and an automotive visible camera. All three 2024 COTS vehicles used a combination of radar and/or visible cameras and did not include a thermal camera.
The test results revealed that during daytime, both thermal fused and COTS PAEB systems passed all tests. However, when it came to night-time testing, only the thermal-fused PAEB system passed all tests.
For the tests, thermal active pedestrian test manikins (PTM) provide a realistic representation of a human thermal signature and are recommended for future PAEB testing protocols using thermal cameras. “With the ability to see through darkness, shadows, headlight and sun glare, smoke and most fog, as well as its unique capability to detect wildlife on the roadway, OEMs should consider integrating thermal cameras as a cost-effective method to meet FMVSS No. 127 requirements to increase real-world vehicle and pedestrian safety,” said Mike Walters, vice president of product management at Teledyne FLIR OEM.