Advanced automatic emergency braking systems designed specifically to prevent dangerous intersection collisions exhibit troubling inconsistencies, according to a research report published Thursday by the AAA.

While this specialized technology—frequently referred to as intersection AEB—excelled at averting crashes during the highly common scenario of a vehicle executing a left turn across the lane of oncoming traffic, its reliability dropped significantly in other environments.

Specifically, the evaluation revealed that intersection AEB struggled to maintain consistent performance when a test vehicle encountered another automobile cutting into its path while attempting a right turn at a perpendicular intersection.

Inside the Closed-Course Testing Methodology

Carried out on a closed circuit in collaboration with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, the assessment put four modern 2026 model-year automobiles through rigorous trials: the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Explorer, Hyundai Tucson, and Tesla Model Y.

Researchers utilized a robotic soft vehicle target to simulate interacting traffic accurately.

Operating under standardized Euro NCAP protocol conditions, every single one of the four tested models successfully averted an impact during the left-turn-across- oncoming-traffic scenario.

However, when a secondary vehicle crossed directly into their travel path from a side road, three out of the four integrated safety systems failed completely to prevent a crash, the findings show.

I think this highlights how scenario-dependent these systems can be. A vehicle may perform very well in one type of intersection crash but offer little or no protection in another. Our testing doesn’t tell us exactly why a particular system failed to respond, but it does demonstrate that there is still considerable room for improvement. — John Partridge, AAA Senior Engineer

Breakdown of Evaluated Scenarios

  • Turn into path: Executing a right turn from a side road at 5 mph, the robotic target cut in front of an oncoming vehicle moving at 30 mph. Only one test vehicle avoided contact across all runs, while the remaining three struck the target every single time.
  • Turn-across-path — standardized Euro NCAP configuration: With blinkers engaged, a steering robot guided test vehicles through a 9.3 mph left turn across an 18.6 mph target. All four models avoided collisions successfully in every trial.
  • Turn-across-path — no turn signal: With turn signals deactivated, a robotic steering mechanism guided the left turn. One participating vehicle issued no warning and no braking whatsoever, striking the target in all runs.
  • Turn-across-path — manual steering: Maintaining identical speeds, a human test driver replaced the robotic steering. Utilizing the turn signal, human operation yielded identical positive outcomes to the robot runs, with all four vehicles warning drivers and stopping in time.

The Future of Federal Safety Standards

While traditional AEB technology has primarily targeted rear-end collisions, intersection AEB represents an evolutionary step forward, utilizing cameras positioned behind rearview mirrors to scan environments ahead and to both flanks.

As these driver-assistance features proliferate across the automotive market, a federal mandate approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will mandate AEB—including pedestrian protection capabilities—as standard equipment on all new passenger cars and light trucks by September 2029.

Federal regulators project that nationwide adoption will save a minimum of 360 lives annually while preventing at least 24,000 injuries every year.

In light of the recent findings, Partridge urges manufacturers to expand the spectrum of intersection scenarios that their onboard software can accurately detect and mitigate. He emphasizes that automakers should evaluate systems under a wider assortment of real-world variables, encompassing varied trajectories, speeds, and human driving inputs.

Ultimately, Partridge reminds motorists that electronic safety cushions must always function as failsafes rather than replacements for active driver awareness.

When navigating complex intersections, drivers are strongly advised to hover their right foot over the brake pedal—with the heel anchored on the floorboard—maintaining constant vigilance for erratic vehicles and remaining fully prepared to execute evasive steering or braking maneuvers.