The IIHS updated its automatic emergency braking and collision warning tests, and SUVs are having problems
- Too many cars have failed the IIHS crash prevention rating, which has made testing more difficult.
- Based on real-world data, the safety organization decided to conduct its tests at higher speeds and evaluate crash prevention systems against motorcycles and semi-trailers.
- Of 10 SUVs included in the updated test, only the Subaru Forester received a “good” rating.
The Subaru Forester is the only compact SUV to pass the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) new, tougher crash prevention technology test. The nine other vehicles evaluated had problems with the updated evaluation protocol.
However, that doesn’t mean that the crash prevention technologies of low-performance vehicles are behind the times. In fact, the automatic emergency braking and collision warning systems in all ten vehicles involved in this test received top marks under the old IIHS evaluation protocol. To make future vehicles safer, the organization is stepping up its testing.
Read: The IIHS explains why it doesn’t crash test vehicles at higher speeds
“The vast majority of new vehicles are now fitted with automatic emergency braking and our research shows the technology prevents up to half of all front-rear accidents. This new, more stringent rating targets some of the most dangerous front-to-rear crashes still occurring,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “This is an important update to one of our most successful testing programs.”
First, the safety organization decided to conduct its crash prevention tests at higher speeds. Previously, collision warning and automatic emergency braking systems were rated at 12 and 25 mph (19 km/h and 40 km/h). The evaluations are now carried out at 31, 37 and 43 mph (50, 60 and 70 km/h). The tests also evaluate how crash prevention systems work when a vehicle approaches a motorcycle or semi-truck.
“Obviously, accidents that occur at higher speeds are more dangerous,” said David Kidd, a senior research scientist at the IIHS who led the development of the new assessment. “Fatal underride accidents often occur when the vehicle struck is a large truck, and motorcyclists are often killed when they are struck by a car because their bicycle provides no protection from the impact.”
In a test of ten small SUVs, the Subaru Forester was the only vehicle to receive a “good” rating, the highest rating given by the organization. The SUV’s collision warning system warned the driver of impending danger more than 2.1 seconds before the predicted time of the crash, avoiding a collision with the motorcycle at 31 and 37 miles per hour. Although the Forester hit the motorcycle at 43 mph, it was previously decelerating an average of 30 mph.
The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 received “acceptable” ratings, while the Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Compass received “marginal” ratings. These vehicles failed to perform due to inconsistent performance in the higher speed tests and late collision warnings.
Finally, the Chevrolet Equinox, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander and VW Taos were all rated “poor.” These vehicles performed worse in various categories, with some warning the driver of a possible collision too late or not at all, while others barely slowed down before hitting the motorcycle.