ADAC Test: Emergency Braking Assistants Often Fail to Recognize Children

A recent investigation by ADAC has revealed that emergency braking assistants in vehicles frequently fail to recognize pedestrians wearing reflective work clothing or children in warning attire in low-light conditions. These systems are designed to prevent accidents when drivers overlook pedestrians, yet the test results indicate significant weaknesses. The test examined six current vehicle models: the Mercedes CLA, Tesla Model Y, BYD Seal, Hyundai Tucson, Dacia Duster, and Opel Astra. All vehicles were able to detect a dummy of an adult pedestrian wearing a standard warning vest and prevent a collision. However, almost none of the vehicles performed well in recognizing individuals in standardized reflective work clothing.

The results show that the emergency braking assistants struggle to identify individuals in work clothing, such as that worn by road construction workers or emergency responders. In most cases, the systems either failed to recognize these individuals at all or reacted so late that a collision could not be avoided. Particularly alarming are the results concerning children. While all tested vehicles recognized a child dummy in dark clothing and initiated an emergency stop, the systems nearly completely failed when the child wore reflective clothing and a school backpack. In these instances, the vehicles either did not brake at all or did not do so in time to prevent a collision.

The investigation suggests that the vehicle sensors are not the main issue. Rather, the difficulties seem to lie in the classification of road users. The systems apparently do not reliably recognize people in certain reflective clothing as pedestrians. A positive example was provided by the Mercedes CLA, which was the only vehicle in the test to recognize a child dummy wearing reflective clothing and a school backpack running onto the road from behind a parked car. Nevertheless, this model also struggled with recognizing individuals in work clothing and sometimes reacted too late or could not fully prevent a collision despite initiating partial braking.

ADAC urges automakers to improve emergency braking assistants. Experts believe that the weakness is primarily related to the detection and classification of individuals. Therefore, many vehicles could be optimized through a software update to enhance recognition accuracy. Whether and when manufacturers will provide such updates remains unclear. The investigation also highlighted a gap in existing testing procedures.

Since 2016, emergency braking assistants with pedestrian detection have been tested by Euro NCAP; however, the current standards appear insufficient to identify such critical weaknesses. The results of the ADAC test raise questions about vehicle safety, particularly regarding the protection of children and other vulnerable road users. Experts consider the need to improve these systems urgent to enhance road safety. The investigation was published on October 27, 2026, and shows that pedestrian detection in certain situations continues to pose a challenge for modern vehicle systems.