In my fucking dreams. Some guy today stopped just before the sidewalk in one of those lanes where the right turner merges to take out his phone. That's not logical ! The other day somebody stopped before crossing, stared at their phone and then started walking again without looking up. That wasn't even at an intersection. The car would model the direction that pedestrians were turning their head, since people who intend to cross the street (including jaywalkers) turn their head to look for oncoming cars.
True, it doesn't prevent the car from hitting all pedestrians. It does (to a great degree, when combined with movement predictions) mean that when the pedestrian is not at fault, the car will stop. If you run on the street without looking it is totally your fault - and now Daimler has high quality cameras and a few cores blazing to prove it. This is the Daimler researcher I meant. Page has some really cool images, and also this:It has been gratifying to see our long-term pedestrian detection research be incorporated in the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class. This is especially the case since evaluations of the German GIDAS accident data carried out by Mercedes-Benz indicate that this new technology could avoid 6 percent of pedestrian accidents and reduce the severity of a further 41 percent. This translates to less injuries and more lives saved.