Ten major vehicle manufacturers in the United States have committed to making automatic emergency braking a standard feature on all new vehicles built. The announcement came through the two major automotive safety testing groups, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The details of this commitment will be worked out in the coming months, but the feature is expected to become standard for those ten automakers within the decade.
The automakers who’ve committed to making AEB standard equipment represent about 57 percent of light-duty vehicle sales in the U.S. and include:
- Audi
- BMW
- Ford
- General Motors
- Mazda
- Mercedes Benz
- Tesla Motors
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
“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.”
AEB technology is already showing benefits in the real world. Several studies, including a recent report from IIHS, show that AEB technology can reduce insurance injury claims by as much as 35%.
