Evaluating Vehicle Response Through Non-Traditional Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking Scenarios

Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (P-AEB) is a technology designed to avoid or reduce the severity of vehicle to pedestrian collisions. This technology is currently assessed and evaluated via EuroNCAP and similar procedures in which a pedestrian test target is crossing the road, walking alongside the road, or stationary in the forward vehicle travel path. While these assessment methods serve the purpose of providing cross-comparison of technology performance in a standardized set of scenarios, there are many scenarios which could occur which are not considered or studied. By identifying and performing non-EuroNCAP, non-standardized scenarios using similar methodology, the robustness of P-AEB systems can be analyzed. These scenarios help identify areas of further development and consideration for future testing programs. Three scenarios were considered as a part of this work: straight line approach, curved path approach, and parking lot testing. Exemplar tests were performed for each scenario using a test vehicle. Straight line approach testing is directly related to standardized test scenarios and is a useful basis to evaluate a vehicle’s performance against other testing facilities results. Curved path braking adds the complicating factors of a steering input and a target path not perpendicular to the vehicle travel path during most of the approach. Finally, parking lot testing adds visual and radar clutter and a dense environmental background to traditional straight line approach testing scenarios. While there are many more tests which could be performed to further evaluate the behavior of the P-AEB system, these three scenarios provide useful insights into vehicle behavior including alert and braking onset timing, scenario specific challenges, and more.