Nissan Maxima and Altima rated top performers in IIHS pedestrian crash prevention testing

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) latest ratings for front crash prevention systems in midsize sedans ranked model year 2019 and 2020 Nissan Maxima as 'superior' and model year 2019 and 2020 Nissan Altima as 'advanced.' Nissan believes meaningful technology should not be limited to luxury models and is working diligently to offer features like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection across its lineup. "The well-being of those inside our cars is just as important as the well-being of those outside our vehicles," said Rob Warren, director, and chief marketing manager, Nissan North America. "AEB with Pedestrian Detection is announced as standard or available on 10 Nissan vehicles for the 2020 model year, and we're working on expanding the technology further as quickly as possible." AEB with Pedestrian Detection is standard on the Nissan Maxima for 2020, helping Maxima join just one other non-luxury model earning a superior rating. Not far behind among midsize cars, the Nissan Altima is rated among the advanced vehicles in its class. The IIHS evaluation consists of three tests each at two speeds, resulting in six possible outcomes. The Maxima was the only tested vehicle to altogether avoid the obstacle in all six performed tests. "Carmakers often roll out these kinds of advanced systems in more expensive luxury lines or as expensive options, so the superior performance of the standard systems on the more mainstream Maxima is noteworthy," said IIHS President David Harkey. Nissan's AEB with Pedestrian Detection uses a combination of radar and camera-based technology to track nearby vehicles and approaching pedestrians. If a pedestrian is detected, visual and audible alerts are accompanied by automatic braking, helping to eliminate or significantly reduce the severity of an impact. IIHS launched its pedestrian rating earlier this year, testing 11 luxury and non-luxury small SUVs in pedestrian crash prevention. In that test, the 2019 Nissan Rogue received an advanced rating. For the 2020 model year, Nissan Safety Shield 360 – which includes AEB with Pedestrian Detection – is standard on SV and SL trims, the Nissan Rogue's most popular models. Visit NissanUSA.com to build and price a 2020 Nisan Maxima and 2020 Nissan Altima, or visit NissanNews.com for additional information.