U.S. to require automatic emergency braking on new vehicles in 5 years

The U.S. government has announced that all new passenger vehicles will be required to include automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems as standard equipment within the next five years. This new regulation, described by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as the most significant safety rule in two decades, aims to reduce the nearly 40,000 annual traffic deaths and numerous injuries. The requirement is part of efforts to address the crisis in roadway deaths highlighted by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The regulation mandates that vehicles must be able to automatically stop to prevent collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians, improving upon the current systems that vary in effectiveness under a voluntary agreement with automakers. This rule is expected to save 362 lives and prevent about 24,000 injuries each year. It also includes performance standards for detecting and avoiding pedestrians at night.

While the regulation will increase vehicle costs by approximately $82 each, it represents a significant move towards enhancing road safety. The final rule gives automakers a window of more than five years to comply, allowing time for integration during normal vehicle update cycles. Critics, however, have noted the absence of requirements for detecting cyclists and scooter users.

Source: NPR