Video: Four Vehicles Ace Front Crash Prevention Tests
BMW 5 Series, BMW X5, Hyundai Genesis and Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars excel in the latest round of IIHS front crash prevention tests, thanks to advances in automatic braking technology.


VIDEO: New IIHS Ratings for Front Crash Prevention
In the latest round of front crash prevention tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 21 of 24 vehicles earned an “advanced” or higher rating. Test results indicate that automakers are making strides in adopting automatic braking technology, IIHS noted.
Four vehicles earned perfect scores when equipped with certain options: the 2014 BMW 5 Series large luxury car, 2014 BMW X5 midsize luxury SUV, 2015 Hyundai Genesis large luxury car and 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class large luxury car. In all, eight models earned the highest rating of “superior,” 13 earned an “advanced” rating, and three earned a “basic” rating.
"We are already seeing improvements from automakers since the initial launch of our ratings last September," said David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer. "BMW and Lexus, for example, have added more braking capability to their systems, which has paid off in higher ratings."
To view all the test criteria and results, click here. Scroll down to see individual vehicle scores.
To view an IIHS video on the latest test results, click on the photo or link above.
More Safety

NETS Sets 2026 Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference for Indianapolis
The Sept. 15–17 program will feature fleet benchmarking data, case studies, emerging technologies, and implementation strategies while running alongside the NSC Safety Congress & Expo.
Read More →
Off-the-Job Crashes Account for 43% of Employers’ $61.7 Billion Crash Burden
NETS quantifies costs dispersed across fleet, risk, HR, and other departments while providing new per-crash benchmarks for employers.
Read More →
Ram Recalls More Than 1.27 Million 1500 Pickups for Seat Belt Anchor Issue
The recall affects certain 2019-2026 Ram 1500 pickups that may have improperly attached second-row seat belt buckle anchors.
Read More →
Top 50 Executive Fleets
It is that time of year again! Time for the 2026 list of the Top 50 Executive Fleets, presented by Automotive Fleet and Volvo as part of its annual Fleet 500. Download now to see this year's list of companies!
Read More →How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%
Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.
Read More →
Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets
A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.
Read More →
Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset
Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.
Read More →From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets
From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.
Read More →
IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?
Read More →
Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel
Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.
Read More →