BMW X1: A failure in the pedestrian collision test

MANILA: The automobile industry has been evolving at a rapid pace lately. Major advancements can be seen in the safety department, and stuff like automatic emergency braking systems have been a priority for the automakers. What these systems do is that they detect obstacle -human, or vehicle and apply the brakes automatically without requiring the driver to put his or her foot on the brake pedal. However, a machine is a machine, and it may not always function the way it is supposed to.

Eleven vehicles which come equipped with auto detection and braking systems were thrown in the battleground by the U.S. organisation named Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While 10 of the 11 vehicles successfully cleared the hurdles in front of them, the 2018/19 BMW X1 failed to apply brakes at 59.5 kmph and hit the dummy pretty hard. Fortunately enough, this car was not on the roads; otherwise, the consequences would have been devastating.

To rate the autonomous braking of a vehicle, the IIHS conducts three pedestrian-crash tests. In the first test, a person enters the street in front of the car. A child running out on the road from behind two parked vehicles makes up the second simulation. The third and the final test involves a person walking in the same lane as the car. While the BMW X1 comes equipped with the Daytime Pedestrian Detection System, it did not detect the pedestrian and as a result, did not apply brakes automatically.

The BMW X1 received no rating from IIHS due to this poor performance. The highest rating, superior, was received by the likes of 2019 Volvo XC40, 2018/19 Honda CR-V, 2019 Subaru Forester, and 2019 Toyota RAV4. On the other hand, vehicles including 2019 Nissan Rogue, 2019 Chevrolet Equinox, 2018–19 Hyundai Kona, 2019 Kia Sportage, and 2018–19 Mazda CX-5 received the advanced rating. The basic rating was given to the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander/ASX.

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