Performance Evaluation of Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking Systems

This research article evaluates the performance of Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB) systems in 2024 and 2025 model year vehicles, focusing on nighttime effectiveness and the impact of high-visibility clothing. The study aims to determine improvements in PAEB performance since a previous study conducted in 2019 and assesses how ANSI Class 3 high-visibility clothing affects system effectiveness. Testing was performed in a controlled closed-course environment, simulating a perpendicular crossing scenario at 40 km/h. Results indicate an overall improvement in nighttime PAEB impact avoidance from 0% in 2019 to 60% in 2025, although performance varied significantly by vehicle model. The study also found that ANSI Class 3 clothing did not negatively impact daytime performance and sometimes improved detection, while nighttime responses varied, highlighting the need for ongoing development of PAEB technologies to ensure pedestrian safety under diverse conditions. The research was conducted in collaboration with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center.