BMW X1 fails the IIHS pedestrian safety test

[Iyencar]

The BMW X1 has spectacularly failed the IIHS pedestrian safety test. A video is doing the rounds where the car just drives over a dummy robot (not sure what to call it) crossing the road. The automotive media meanwhile are having a field day over it.
Relevant section of video starts at 1:34:

http://youtu.be/ZMFbMV5QNzk?t=94

All but one SUV received a passing grade, with four – the Toyota RAV4, Volvo XC40, Honda CR-V, and Subaru Forester – garnering superior ratings. Advanced ratings were given to the Chevrolet Equinox, Hyundai Kona, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, and Nissan Rogue. The Mitsubishi Outlander scored basic for killing one of the test dummies in dramatic fashion.
Meanwhile, the BMW X1 said "hold my beer" and proceeded to kill all three test dummies.

Source 1

IIHS says the X1 didn't brake at all in the highest-speed parallel adult simulation, and exhibited minimal to no speed reductions in the other tests. That's despite being equipped with BMW's Daytime Pedestrial Detection System, which provides acoustic and visual warnings to apply the brakes and is touted as being able to automatically apply braking.

Source 2 .

As a wise guy said, the car scored a zero in pedestrian safety but a 10 in seek and destroy

[srishiva]

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[SmartCat]

BMW has responded:

In February 2019, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released the results of a new test of Automatic Emergency Braking Systems in small SUVs and their effectiveness in avoiding or mitigating crashes with pedestrians. BMW was particularly disappointed with the results of the 2018 BMW X1 tested.

BMW has a long history of safety innovation, with an engineering philosophy based on three pillars: accident avoidance, passenger protection during and after a crash, and post-crash notification. The 2019 BMW X1 has a standard equipment (optional in 2018), camera based Automatic Emergency Braking System that is designed primarily to warn the driver and emergency brake to avoid a crash with another vehicle.

The 2019 BMW X1 is also able of warning the driver of a pedestrian crossing the road ahead. If the driver does not respond to the warning, the system may apply the brakes. The upper threshold for this system on the X1 is 60km/h or 37.5 mph as indicated on the vehicle speedometer. Given that BMW speedometers are calibrated conservatively and that the IIHS test was performed at exactly 37 mph, it may be that IIHS tested the system above the designed threshold.

https://jalopnik.com/the-bmw-x1s-aut...rri-1832815010

[Iyencar]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

BMW has responded:

The upper threshold for this system on the X1 is 60km/h or 37.5 mph.
Given that BMW speedometers are calibrated conservatively. The IIHS test was performed at exactly 37 mph

I'm guessing this is BMW's version of "the question was not from the syllabus". Fact is the competition aced or at the least passed this test and that's what is going to stick in everyone's mind. What they should have said was "we'll re-calibrate the system to kick in at a lower speed."

[pavi]

The new BMW X1 has scored a Zero in the tests conducted by IIHS due to the failure in Pedestrian Auto Braking detection. Modern-day vehicles have become extremely safe with the new-age crash avoidance systems. One of the latest technologies that are now available many cars in the international markets in the Pedestrian Detection system that can detect pedestrians automatically. The system can completely avoid a collision or reduce the strength of the impact with the pedestrians by applying brakes automatically.

Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), USA conducted tests on various vehicles equipped with pedestrian detection system recently. Out of all the cars, the BMW X1 received a zero rating as it failed to either detect the pedestrian at all or reduced the speed only slightly, which had almost zero effect in saving the pedestrian.

The pedestrian detection system works by using high-end front-facing cameras and radars that can detect the movement. There are three scenarios created by IIHS to test the ability of the vehicles to detect the pedestrians. In the first scenario, the walker starts walking from the edge of the road in front of the car.

This test is conducted at 19 km/h. The second test involves a child coming out of from the front of two parked vehicles on the road. The speed of the vehicle in this test is set at 40 km/h. The third scenario enacts the pedestrian walking on the highway in the direction of the vehicle. This is tested at 59 km/h.

It can be seen in the video how BMW X1 failed utterly to recognise the pedestrian and crashed into the dummy models. IIHS tested 11 vehicles equipped with the latest technology, and only four received the highest rating. IIHS awarded Toyota CR-V, Subaru Forrester, Toyota RAV4 and Volvo XC40 the highest score while the other vehicles received a lower rating.

The BMW X1 received no rating in the test. As per IIHS, such tests are done to promote safety in the vehicles and encourage manufacturers to equip their cars with better safety equipment.

Source

[adroit_91]

Originally Posted by pavi

The BMW X1 received no rating in the test. As per IIHS, such tests are done to promote safety in the vehicles and encourage manufacturers to equip their cars with better safety equipment.

Although the video does show this happening, it is difficult to believe that BMW would peddle a feature and it would work so badly! Today, detecting a pedestrian is like ADAS technology 101! How would they have shipped a feature without testing. To be honest, sounds unbelievable to me.