WITH PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
ON THE RISE IN THE COUNTRY,
MANY NEW CARS ARE TESTING
TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED TO PUT ON
THE BRAKES AND PREVENT A
TRAGEDY BUT HOW RELIABLE ARE
THE NEW SYSTEMS?
TRIPLE A IS OUT WITH NEW
RESEARCH.
THE FINDINGS ARE FAR FROM
PERFECT BUT SAFETY EXPERTS SAY
THAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE ON THE
HORIZON.
CBS 2'S CHRIS KRIS VAN CLEAVE
HAS THIS.
Reporter: MANY SENSORS CAN
APPLY THE BRAKES AND STOP
AUTOMATICALLY IF THE DRIVERS
DON'T.
BUT NEW STUDIES FIND IT'S NOT
RELIABLE.
HOW WELL DO THEY WORK IN REAL
WORLD SITUATIONS?
WE FOUND THEY STRUGGLE.
Reporter: TRIPLE A TESTED
MID-SIZED SEDANS.
A CHILD DARTS OUT FROM BEHIND 2
CARS.
90% OF THE TIME, TECHNOLOGY
FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE
TRAVELING 20 MILES PER HOUR.
EVERY TIME THE CAR TURNED THE
CORNER, IT HIT THE PEDESTRIAN,
AND A SEDAN TRAVELING 20 MILES
PER HOUR WITH TWO ADULTS IT HIT
THEM 80% OF THE TIME, AND IT
WAS WORSE IN THE DARK.
IS THAT WE FOUND THAT MOST OF
THESE DO NOT WORK AT NIGHT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SITUATIONS
WHERE THE PEDESTRIANS ARE MOST
VULNERABLE, THAT'S AT NIGHT.
Reporter: EARLIER THIS YEAR
THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR
HIGHWAY SAFETY FOUND MORE SUV
TESTS DURING THE DAY AVOIDED A
CRASH WITH A PEDESTRIAN OR AT
LEAST SLOWED DOWN.
THE NEW TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE
EMBRACED BUT GIVEN TIME TO
BECOME MORE CONSISTENT.
ARE YOU BETTER TO HAVE IT EVEN
IF IT DOESN'T WORK EVERYDAYS
YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO WORK IN?
ABSOLUTELY.
THESE SYSTEMS ARE MEANT AS A
BACKSTOP TO A REALLY ENGAGED
DRIVER.
Reporter: AUTOMAKERS HAVE
AGREED TO PUT AUTO BRAKING
TECHNOLOGY IN ALL CARS BY 2022.
AND EXPERTS HOPE IT WILL BE
BETTER BY THEN.
