Injury mitigation in the collision partners of pre-collision system equipped vehicles in rear-end collisions

Abstract

This study presents the estimated safety benefits of an autonomous pre-crash braking system for both the striking vehicle and collision partner, or struck vehicle, in rear-end collisions. Occupants of the striking vehicle in rear-end collisions are expected to benefit from autonomous pre-crash braking. Often overlooked, however, are the safety benefits to the collision partner of a PCS-equipped vehicle. This study is unique in that it explicitly estimates the safety benefits for not only PCS equipped vehicles, but the also the collision partner. A nationally representative set of rear-end collision was simulated as if the striking vehicle was equipped with a pre-crash braking system. The results show that the crash severity (change in velocity during the collision, ΔV) was reduced by 24% for the striking vehicle and 26% for the struck vehicle. The number of moderately to fatally injured belted drivers in the striking vehicle was reduced by 36%. The number of moderately to fatally injured drivers in the struck vehicle was reduced by 28%.