Automakers Urge Reconsideration of Automatic Emergency Braking Systems Rule
Major automakers, including General Motors, Toyota Motor, and Volkswagen, have requested the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reassess a rule issued in April that mandates advanced automatic emergency braking systems in all new cars and trucks by 2029. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the group representing these automakers, argues that the requirement is “practically impossible with available technology.”
Congress instructed the NHTSA to establish minimum performance standards for automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems, which utilize sensors like cameras and radar to detect potential crashes and automatically apply brakes if the driver fails to do so. However, automakers contend that NHTSA’s stringent requirements at higher speeds will result in vehicles applying brakes much earlier than expected, leading to rear-end collisions. They also assert that NHTSA underestimated the significant hardware and software changes necessary for compliance.
The CEO of the auto group, John Bozzella, criticized NHTSA’s action and claimed that it would not enhance driver or pedestrian safety. Bozzella highlighted the agency’s dismissal of automakers’ concerns and suggested that the regulation signifies a breakdown in the rulemaking process at a leading traffic safety watchdog.
The rule is considered one of the most significant auto safety regulations in recent years. Safety advocates argue that existing systems perform poorly, particularly at night, and emphasize the need for new rules to prevent more accidents. In response to these concerns, NHTSA stated in April that the rule would save approximately 360 lives annually and prevent around 24,000 injuries, especially as traffic deaths have increased following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the rule, vehicles must automatically apply brakes up to 90 mph when a collision with a lead vehicle is imminent and up to 45 mph when a pedestrian is detected. Automakers suggest that NHTSA adopts a European standard that encompasses potential forward collisions, driver warnings, and automatic engagement of the braking system.
In 2016, 20 automakers voluntarily agreed to make automatic emergency braking standard in nearly all U.S. vehicles by 2022. By December, all 20 of them had equipped at least 95% of vehicles with AEB. Nonetheless, critics argue that government regulations are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of these systems.
NHTSA initially proposed a compliance period of three years in March 2023, but automakers have been granted a five-year timeframe. This extended timeline allows automakers additional time to meet the requirements.
