One of the most difficult elements of FMVSS 127 is the nighttime Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB) test, which, in contrast to the European Union’s new AEB regulation, is required to function in total darkness. According to the NHTSA, over 70 percent of pedestrians who are struck and killed by vehicles do so during the night.
Ensuring pedestrian safety at night is “likely to necessitate additional advancements and innovations in sensor technologies,” remarks Nadine Wong, director of track testing at the independent testing firm Dynamic Research. Operating from a test facility located 15 miles north of Bakersfield, California, Dynamic Research is already engaged in FMVSS 127 testing for various clients. “We are aware that there are vehicles currently on the market that come quite close to qualifying under the standard,” Wong noted.
The NHTSA recognizes that FMVSS 127 is “technology-forcing,” yet insists that the “standard is feasible.”
John Bozzella, president and CEO, Alliance for Automotive Innovation
