2022.05.31 Hyundai Motor Group
[The Key to Most Combined IIHS Top Safety Picks － ADAS] Hyundai Motor Group’s Forward Collision－Avoidance Assist
Several models of Hyundai Motor Group have demonstrated outstanding safety in the IIHS crash test, which is a safety assessment for new vehicles in the United States. One of the keys is the forward collision-avoidance assist technology that not only prevents accidents but also considers the safety of others. Here are the details of IIHS’ crash test protocols and Hyundai Motor Group’s innovative Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist technology.
A car can perform its role as a comfortable means of transportation properly only when it can feature three elements - driving performance, safety, and convenience. Driving performance and convenience can be up to each owner’s taste, but safety is directly related to our life, hence an item that requires strict standards regardless of class or type of vehicle. For this reason, new cars that have been verified for featuring excellent safety in each country can be considered safe vehicles.
In the crash safety ratings conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) of the United States in February last year, 21 models of Hyundai Motor Group (TSP+ 11 types, TSP 10 types) proved their excellent safety. Since its establishment in 1959, IIHS’ crash test results, which comprehensively evaluate the crash safety and forward-collision prevention performance of new cars released in the US market every year, have become an important measurement for evaluating the safety of new cars not only in the US but also around the world.
US IIHS crash test evaluating front crash prevention
IIHS crash tests have evolved over time. In the past, they focused on evaluating the durability of seat belts, airbags, and bodies that protect occupants in the event of a collision, but recently they are also carefully evaluating forward collision avoidance technology that prevents accidents. So they added headlamp performance, Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) and Forward Collison Warning (FCW) functions to the IIHS crash test. IIHS grants the highest grade TSP+ (Top Safety Pick+) and the excellent grade TSP (Top Safety Pick) only to models that have received excellent evaluations in the newly developed forward collision avoidance technology in addition to the current crash test results.
The IIHS front crash prevention test, which we looked into this time, was newly established in 2013. This test measures the FCW and AEB functions of the test subject with the car model standing in front of it. According to a report by IIHS and several research institutes, cars with FCW and AEB functions were about half as likely to have a frontal crash as cars without both functions, and cars with FCW only reduced the chances of an accident by 27 percentage points. . In addition, a vehicle equipped with an AEB that can recognize pedestrians was found to reduce pedestrian accidents by 25 - 27% and reduce the chance of pedestrian injuries by 29 - 30%. In addition, a vehicle equipped with an AEB that can recognize pedestrians was found to reduce pedestrian accidents by 25 to 27 percentage points and also reduce the incidence of pedestrian injuries by 29 to 30 percentage points. For this reason, a pedestrian recognition test was added to IIHS’s front crash prevention test in 2019.
The IIHS forward collision avoidance test is divided into vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian. First, the vehicle-to-vehicle test evaluates the collision speed and deceleration ability of the AEB according to the speed of the target vehicle (20km/h, 40km/h) in a situation where the model vehicle is standing in front. Then, it is evaluated whether the FCW of the driving vehicle (72 km/h) emits a warning sound 2.5 seconds before the collision according to the state of the model (stop, 32 km/h driving, 72 km/h driving deceleration). If the car gets a total score of 5 or higher in all criteria, it can acquire a Superior rating.
The forward collision avoidance test, assuming vehicle-to-pedestrian, uses a dummy with the shape of a real person. The test conditions were divided into adult pedestrians crossing the roadway, child pedestrians jumping out of nowhere in front of a parked car on the side of the road, and adult pedestrians facing forward in the lane. In the case of adult and child pedestrian tests that cross the roadway, the performance of AEB is evaluated by dividing the speed of the driving vehicle into two stages (20 km/h and 40 km/h). And in the case of the front-standing adult pedestrian test in the lane, the performance of the AEB at higher speeds (40 km/h, 60 km/h) and the warning point of the FCW (60 km/h only) are closely evaluated. However, unlike the vehicle-to-vehicle test, FCW must warn of danger at least 2.1 seconds before colliding with a pedestrian to score 1 point. In this test, a car with a total score of 5 is also awarded a Superior grade.
The key to IIHS’s top safety: Hyundai Motor Group’s Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
Hyundai Motor Group’s models are the most prominent players in IIHS’s new vehicle safety evaluation. In the test results announced by IIHS on February 24, a total of twenty-one new cars, including eight Hyundai, eight Kia, and five Genesis models, received a grade of TSP or higher, indicating excellent safety. In particular, all Genesis models sold in the United States have obtained the highest grade - TSP+. This is thanks to not only the basic collision-safety design but also the headlight performance and the perfected Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA).
In order to obtain a grade of TSP or higher, it must receive the highest grade of ‘good’ in the evaluation of six crash safety items: moderate overlap front, driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraints & seats. In addition, it must obtain an ‘Advanced’ level in the front collision avoidance test (vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian) and ‘Acceptable’ in the headlights test. In order to be graded excellent safety, all of these strict conditions must be satisfied.
All 21 models of Hyundai Motor Group that obtained TSP grade or higher acquired Superior grade in the vehicle-to-vehicle test. In addition, all models received an Advanced or Superior rating in the vehicle-to-pedestrians test. This is clearly a positive result of Hyundai Motor Group’s outstanding FCA performance. To find out how the forward collision avoidance test was, here are the details of the specifications and test results of the FCA housed in each brand’s signature car models - Hyundai Tucson, Kia Carnival, and Genesis G80.
Tucson and Carnival have basically housed FCA that recognizes vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, and additionally features a specification that can recognize vehicles on the other side of the intersection. Both models achieved a Superior rating in vehicle-to-vehicle tests and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests by avoiding collisions or effectively reducing driving speed.
The G80 basically houses FCA that recognizes vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and oncoming vehicles. The G80 also achieved a Superior rating in all tests. As such, all FCA models housed by Hyundai Motor Group actively reduce accidents and minimize the risk of injury to pedestrians.
Hyundai Motor Group’s driving safety features are based on advanced technology
Hyundai Motor Group’s FCA technology predicts collision risk and reduces damage through a software module that integrates and controls information recognized by multiple sensors such as vehicle signals, front cameras, or front radars. Based on this configuration, FCA has developed to the extent that it detects vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and oncoming vehicles in front, and furthermore, it detects crossed vehicles, oncoming vehicles, and dangers that may be encountered when passing the vehicle in front. FCA of Genesis G90 - Hyundai Motor Group’s latest model - has been classified according to its functions as follows.
First of all, the basic FCA of the G90 detects vehicles moving in front, stopped vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. In addition, when there is a risk of collision, it notifies the danger through a warning sound, instrument panel, and steering wheel vibration, and brakes itself to prevent an accident or reduce the damage of a collision. In addition, while driving at high speed, it recognizes not only the vehicle in front but also other vehicles in the left and right lanes, and when it is determined that it is impossible to change lanes to avoid the risk of collision with the vehicle in front, it reduces the risk of an accident by braking earlier.
FCA operates in a wide range of 10 to 200 km/h for a moving vehicle, detects surrounding driving conditions, and brakes twice - in the 10 to 200 km/h section and in the 10 to 130 km/h section - to minimize the risk. In addition, it detects and warns of danger to pedestrians and cyclists in the range of 10 to 85 km/h and reduces the accident rate by braking twice in the range of 10 to 65 km/h.
The most common places where traffic accidents occur are intersections. Not only is the risk of collision with vehicles ignoring the signal system high, but there is also a high probability of an accident occurring while turning left at an unprotected left-turn intersection. Hyundai Motor Group has incorporated FCA technology to reduce the risk of accidents by detecting other vehicles at intersections; There are two main types: FCA-JT, which prevents collision with oncoming vehicles from adjacent lanes while turning left at an intersection, and FCA-JC, which prevents collisions with vehicles coming from the left and right when going straight at the intersection.
FCA-JT operates in a section where the speed of an oncoming vehicle from an adjacent lane is 30-70 km/h when the driving vehicle turns left at 10-30 km/h with the turn signal on. This feature recognizes an oncoming vehicle through the front camera and front radar and brakes itself to reduce the risk. The FCA-JC utilizes a front-facing radar in addition to a front-facing camera and front-facing radar when a driving vehicle passes through an intersection at a speed of 10-55 km/h. Suppose a vehicle approaches at a speed of 10 to 60 km/h (warning) or 10 to 40 km/h (braking) from the left and right. In that case, it warns of the risk of collision and minimizes the risk of an accident through braking.
The FCA of the G90, which contains Hyundai Motor Group’s latest technology, can also steer itself to prevent accidents when it senses danger. FCA-LO is activated when the vehicle speed is between 40 and 145 km/h; this system detects an oncoming vehicle that crosses the centerline in case of changing lanes or detects an oncoming vehicle when overtaking the vehicle to the left to prevent an accident by steering to the right. Suppose there is a risk of a secondary collision with another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist due to the steering control. In that case, the evasive steering is not performed, and the system would simply notify the danger.
Other FCA steering features are Lane-Change Side (FCA-LS) and Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA). This function is activated when the vehicle speed is between 40 and 145 km/h. This technology uses a front camera and a front radar, a front side radar, and a rear side radar. If the driver does not recognize the vehicle in the blind spot and attempts to change lanes or change to the left lane, and if the vehicle in front is decelerating rapidly, the driver turns the steering wheel to the right again to reduce the risk of an accident. Likewise, at this time, if there is a risk of a secondary collision, the danger is notified with a warning without avoiding it.
The final FCA steering function is FCA w/ ESA technology, which helps steer to safely avoid the risk of collision with other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists in front. There are two situations in which FCA w/ ESA works. The driver avoidance steering assist works when the vehicle speed is 40-85 km/h and helps the driver recognize the danger ahead and steer more quickly and smoothly when turning the steering wheel. The automatic avoidance steering assist is activated when the vehicle speed is between 65 and 75 km/h and warns when there is a risk of collision with a pedestrian or cyclist following the edge of the roadway. If there is room in the lane, the system automatically assists the avoidance steering.
※ Depending on the specifications and the time of mass production, the sensor or specifications may be different.
Hyundai Motor Group’s tireless efforts for everyone’s safety
Hyundai Motor Group is installing FCA on all cars for the safety of more people to prevent accidents; FCA is also provided to entry models sold in Korea, such as Hyundai Casper, Kia Morning, and Ray. In addition, to optimize the performance of FCA, sensors (forward camera, forward radar, etc.) and FCA operation logic are being developed for each model. In addition, the automaker is scrutinizing their cars, creating a test environment similar to a real crash test to achieve the TSP+ and TSP ratings awarded by the IIHS.
Hyundai Motor Group is tirelessly working for the safety of everyone. The state-of-the-art FCA technology that operates in the various driving situations introduced above is not evaluated by the US IIHS or the European New Car Assessment Program (EURO NCAP); Nevertheless, these techniques were developed to respond to the various actual situations of their owners. Hyundai Motor Group’s advanced safety technology makes our lives safer and is also a significant step towards the future of autonomous driving.
