Automakers to Include Automatic Emergency Braking on All New Vehicles
The Department of Transportation and IIHS announced 10 automakers are committing to the safety feature.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced that 10 major vehicle manufacturers are committing to making automatic emergency braking (AEB) a standard feature on all new vehicles they build.
"We are entering a new era of vehicle safety, focused on preventing crashes from ever occurring, rather than just protecting occupants when crashes happen," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "But if technologies such as automatic emergency braking are only available as options or on the most expensive models, too few Americans will see the benefits of this new era. These 10 companies are committing to making AEB available to all new-car buyers."
The manufacturers are Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. The timeline has yet to be determined.
AEB technology attempts to reduce the number of rear-end crashes that occur by applying brake pressure after vehicle sensors detect a collision.
"The evidence is mounting that AEB is making a difference," said IIHS President Adrian Lund. "Most crashes involve driver error. This technology can compensate for the mistakes every driver makes because the systems are always on alert, monitoring the road ahead and never getting tired or distracted."