It’s the NHTSA. Every new passenger car should have automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology by the decade’s end. As part of their ADAS driving assistance packages, many new vehicles now have mechanical emergency brakes that work independently. AEB was first discussed as a need in the industry in 2016, and because of voluntary promises and laws in the U.S. and Europe, it is now on more than 90% of the vehicles that the significant makers sell. Even though requiring AEB would be a “significant step forward,” the new rules don’t force cars to stop for bikes yet. The new NHTSA rules don’t apply to vehicles used for business. In the middle of the decade, automakers worked hard to get back up cams into their newest models, even the cheapest ones. And these helpers for driving would be the norm. It was great news that was also true. But the makers should have stressed that the law required all of these new cameras passed in 2014 and implemented in early 2018. We bring up this historical fact because, just this week, many automakers made a big deal about how many of their cars now have automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. GM says that basic AEB technology is in at least 95% of all vehicles it sells, including all-electric cars made after 2023. A Ford representative on Twitter noted that AEB, with pedestrian recognition, is now in more than 96% of Ford cars, trucks, and SUVs. The NHTSA proposes a new auto industry that requires all new automobiles and light trucks to have automatic emergency braking systems that can identify people. This brings us to the news that the idea is now open. Describe AEB. Like other new driver-assistance technologies, AEB has more than one name used by different companies. Toyota’s version is called Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, for example. The concept is the same: if the driver doesn’t hit the brakes when the car’s sensors and software suite show that a crash is about to happen, the car will do it automatically. Even though the proposed NHTSA rule would require cars to be able to tell the difference between other cars and people, not all AEB systems that are currently in use can tell the difference. The NHTSA said it is “actively conducting research” to determine how well AEB systems respond to motorcycles and bicycles. DOT released it in January 2022. First National Roadway Safety Strategy. This was done because the number of traffic deaths and significant injuries was going up. The DOT pushed AEB as a way to make roads safer. The NHTSA has been pushing for a long time for more AEB systems to be put in cars, saying that they solve “significant safety problems.” Even though AEB devices work, a study by the AAA in October found that many of them still have problems. A Quick Look at the Rules The NHTSA is not suddenly requiring AEB technology. After ten years, for the first time, people talked about making AEBs more common until the dates for putting the rule into place. If the proposed NHTSA rule becomes law, automakers would have at least four years to meet all the requirements for putting AEB technology in every new car. Low-volume makers, almost-done makers, and those who change things have five years. So, there will be no need for AEB technology until 2028 or 2029. The business world had time to get ready. IIHS and NHTSA suggested automakers make a voluntary pledge in 2016 to improve and use AEB technology more. By the end of 2017, four makers had made AEB technology mandatory for more than half of their models from that year, and 20 had promised to put low-speed AEB systems in all new passenger vehicles by at least September 1, 2022. The European government passed a law that will make AEB mandatory starting in 2022. Safety experts agree with what the NHTSA wants to do. The NTSB stated chair said that requiring AEBs would be a “major leap forward for road safety” but that the timetable was too far away and that cyclists needed to be added to the list of road users that AEBs could see. The NTSB says that the new AEB rules should apply to cars used for business.
