Confirming an earlier leak, a group of 20 automakers has committed to making automatic emergency braking (AEB) a standard feature on all new cars by 2022.
The list includes all major automakers and many low-volume brands including Audi, BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai/Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.
“A commitment of this magnitude is unprecedented, and it will bring more safety to more Americans sooner,” says NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind.
NHTSA, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports will work together to monitor progress toward the 2022 goal. The IIHS and CR have already implemented programs to assess and rate performance of AEB systems, and the NHTSA is working on its own assessment framework for the 2018 model year.
The technology is currently implemented in different ways depending on the particular automaker and vehicle. Some systems only work at slow speeds and only slightly reduce impact speed, while others work at much higher speeds and attempt to avoid collisions altogether.
The IIHS claims the commitment “requires a level of functionality that is in line with research and crash data demonstrating that such systems are substantially reducing crashes.” In the beginning, vehicles must earn an IIHS ‘advanced’ rating for front-crash prevention.
The IIHS relies on a point system to compare AEB technologies, with points awarded for performance in 12 mph and 25 mph tests. An ‘advanced’ rating can be earned for a 10 mph reduction from a 12 mph approach, but with no braking in the 25 mph scenario. Alternatively, a vehicle can qualify if it reduces impact speed by five to nine mph in both tests.
The National Transportation Safety Board had pressured automobile regulators to make the technology a mandatory feature on all new vehicles, however the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims the voluntary initiative will make AEB standard three years faster than could be achieved through formal rule changes.
“During those three years, according to IIHS estimates, the commitment will prevent 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries,” the joint statement adds.
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