Autonomous Emergency Braking Will Be Standard on Most US Cars by 2022

New Delhi

the US Department of Transportation's NHTSA and the IIHS announced that 20 automakers representing more than 99 per cent of the US auto market have committed to make Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) as a standard feature.

In a highly appreciable move towards enhanced vehicular safety, the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced that 20 automakers representing more than 99 per cent of the US auto market have committed to make Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) as a standard feature on virtually all new cars by September 1, 2022. The auto manufacturers making the commitment include Audi, BMW, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati, Subaru, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Volvo, Tesla Motors, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen; not to forget the brands that fall under each of these companies. The commitment ensures that the safety feature will be more accessible to customers, when compared to the standard regulatory process. However, NHTSA has not made AEB mandatory for automakers. Instead, automobile companies have voluntarily agreed adopt the same, which as per the NHTSA's claims will lead to larger adoption of the safety feature, three years sooner than the former rule. Banking on the safety system, IIHS estimates that the feature itself will help prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. The Automatic Emergency Braking systems apply brakes for the driver in the event of an impending crash. The systems use on-vehicle sensors such as radar, cameras or lasers to detect an imminent crash and warn the driver about the same. If the driver does not take the necessary action quickly to avoid the crash, the AEB system comes into effect. Renault's Automatic Emergency Braking The AEB agreement will come will be introduced in two phases. The first phase will include cars with a gross weight of 8500 pound (3856 kg) and the safety feature will need to be offered as standard from September 1, 2022. The agreement will also include light and medium trucks with the gross weight from 8501 pounds up to 10,000 pounds in phase two and will get AEB as standard by 2025. Given the necessity of the system, the feature will be omnipresent on vehicles in the future, much like ABS, Brake Assist or even traction control seen today. In December, 2015, NHTSA had announced its plans to rate AEB systems and other advanced technologies under its 5-Star Safety Ratings starting for new models from 2018. The other interesting bit is that the inclusion of AEB systems will make cars safer, which in return, could lower insurance premiums on vehicles. However, the system will go through the evaluative stages for now, before the implementation begins. Certainly a positive move by auto manufacturers and the NHTSA, it needs to be seen as to how quickly will other markets adopt the safety system. India too is finally opening up to the idea of having mandatory safety features and the entire concept of the BNVSAP (Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program) being a promising one. That said, AEB systems are already available on some cars in the country. While Volvo's complete range of cars in India come with City Safety technology, while Mercedes-Benz provides Pre-Safe braking on its premium range of cars. However, AEB systems on mass market Indian cars does feel like a distant dream for now.