A new rule introduced in the US for vehicles to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) by 2029, may have caused some controversy but the decision has also been celebrated for saving lives, and reducing crashes.
AEB was one of the first ADAS systems to be legislated in Australia through the Australian Design Rules ADR98. Despite the United States taking the lead on AEB requirements, the Australian Government is yet to announce any similar developments.
According to a recent article by The Brake Report magazine, the Consumer Reports (CR) Vehicle Technology associate director, Kelly Funkhouser highlighted the support for the legislation that will require AEB in all new cars by September 1, 2029.
“We know they have a proven safety record. Vehicles with AEB have a 50 per cent reduction in rear-end crashes on the road, according to data from the IIHS [Insurance Institute for Highway Safety], as compared to vehicles that don’t have it,” Funkhouser says.
“There is still room for improvement… They’ve only been around for a couple of decades compared to a lot of other automotive technologies. But that doesn’t mean they’re still not good overall.”
The details of the AEB requirements
The National Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, FMVSS 127, will require AEB and pedestrian AEB to come standard by September 2029 on all passenger cars and light trucks weighing up to 10,000 pounds.
The standard will require AEB to engage at up to 90 mph when a collision with a lead vehicle is imminent, and up to 45 mph when a pedestrian is detected.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators) asked NHTSA to reconsider portions of its new AEB mandate via a letter to Congress.
Auto Innovators President and CEO John Bozzella emphasised the impracticalities with the speed requirements and available technology.
“We recommended NHTSA adopt a standard already in place in Europe that detects a potential forward collision, provides a driver warning, and automatically engages the braking system to avoid a collision — or mitigate its severity — through the use of existing crashworthiness systems designed to better protect road users,” Bozzella says.
NHTSA believes its rule will significantly reduce rear-end and pedestrian crashes, saving at least 360 lives and preventing at least 24,000 injuries every year.