New Rules Will Require Automated Braking Systems to Prevent 360 Lives Lost Annually on US Roads

Auto industry regulators believe that as distracted driving and pedestrian fatalities continue to rise, technological advancements can prevent hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries each year on US roads. In order to address this issue, new rules from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will require improved automating braking systems in all new cars sold by September 2029. These systems are expected to save hundreds of lives annually as they prevent crashes and pedestrian impacts at higher speeds than most current technologies and operate efficiently, both during the day and nighttime conditions. Automatic emergency breaking (AEB), which is already standard equipment in a majority of new vehicles sold today due to voluntary agreements signed by automakers back in 2016, will be required under these rules. Currently, AEB technology helps prevent rear-end collisions mainly as sensors detect if the vehicle ahead has slowed or stopped or an obstacle appears on the roadway. If a driver fails to respond quickly enough or with sufficient force applied through braking systems, AEB takes over and applies automatic brake pressure in order to avoid crashes entirely or lessen their severity when they occur. Pedestrian detection technology adds additional sensors or cameras that can identify people walking along the roadside while cars drive past them at nighttime speeds, thus automatically applying brake force if a driver fails to respond quickly enough during an emergency situation. This system is expected to save as many lives and injuries caused by collisions between vehicles moving faster than 62 miles per hour (mph) or pedestrians traveling up to 45 mph while cars move at speeds of less than 90 mph, where full-stop prevention may not be possible. However, the NHTSA acknowledges that current systems are ineffective when used under low light conditions and during high speed turns which is why it believes significant improvements will come about over time with more technological advances implemented through this rule change proposal by its administration. According to a recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), pedestrian fatalities have increased 83% since reaching their lowest point in 2009, while bicyclist deaths due to vehicle collisions have risen as much as 75%. These new NHTSA rules are expected to prevent up to 360 lives lost annually and save approximately 24,000 injuries thanks largely to the widespread adoption of AEB technology in cars. As many automakers already offer this feature today due to their voluntary agreements with regulators, it is likely that these new NHTSA rules will be met ahead of schedule by most car manufacturers as well which would result in further life-saving benefits from its implementation for drivers and pedestrians alike.