Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Highway Safety Administration updated its rules on automatic emergency braking, opting to require that almost all new cars and trucks carry the feature by 2029. Now, a group representing most major automakers is pushing back, saying that the requirements are “practically impossible with available technology.”
The NHTSA’s updated rule requires cars and trucks to stop at speeds up to 62 mph, significantly faster than most offer today. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents GM, Toyota, and most others, noted that the higher speeds would require much earlier braking times from AEB systems, which could result in surprised drivers and rear-end collisions.
The Alliance’s CEO, John Bozzella, said the change “won’t improve driver or pedestrian safety.”
He also noted that the new rule “points to the breakdown of a deliberative rulemaking process at the country’s top traffic safety watchdog.” The NHTSA believes the change could save at least 360 lives and prevent 24,000 injuries annually.
In addition to stopping cars at up to 62 mph, the NHTSA’s ruling requires that AEB systems apply the brakes automatically at up to 90 mph “when a collision with a lead vehicle is imminent, and up to 45 mph when a pedestrian is detected.”
Many new vehicles come with AEB technology, but in addition to surprising drivers with earlier braking times, such a significant change in how the systems operate could result in higher costs for buyers as automakers look to recoup development costs. That said, it’s hard to argue against saving lives and preventing injuries.
[Images: Ford, Toyota, VW]
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