The invention relates to a feature optimization selection method for a pedestrian detection based on coevolution, which includes that: (1) a training sample is read in; (2) an original characteristic set is generated and a sample set is formed; (3) four populations are initialized and a type of characteristic is corresponded to each population; (4)an individual is decoded to a feature combinationand then a new sample subset is obtained, and fitness of the individual is calculated; (5) a terminal condition is judged for whether the requirement is met, if the terminal condition is met, a characteristic subset denoted by a best individual in each population is used as the optimum relation of an algorithm; (6) a competition within the population, an inter-population competition and self-increase rules are used for choosing the individual according to the fitness of each individual, a method for single interior extrapolation and its variation are used for generating the next generation individual; (7) the (4) step is returned and the population is evolved until an feature selection terminal condition of the (5) step is satisfied. The invention decreases the complexity of computation, and can obtain an optimizing feature subset, and promotes the veracity for pedestrian classification.