The NHTSA, a branch of the US Department of Transportation, issued a final rule late last month mandating automatic emergency braking (AEB), including pedestrian AEB, as standard.
The big picture: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new automatic emergency braking rule requires automakers to develop and equip vehicles with technology that is currently unavailable. Consumer advocates question whether automakers have enough time, given the five-year window, to develop this technology and ensure it meets rigorous testing standards.
The NHTSA, a branch of the US Department of Transportation, issued a final rule late last month mandating automatic emergency braking (AEB), including pedestrian AEB, as standard on all passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks by September 2029.
The catch is that the current technology does not meet the standard set by the NHTSA, which expects these systems to be capable of braking at speeds of up to 62 miles per hour and detecting pedestrians in both daylight and darkness – effectively raising the speed and nighttime requirements beyond the capabilities of available technology. However, the safety agency notes that some vehicles currently available offer this «maturing technology» as an add-on feature.
Automatic emergency braking «is now so advanced that we’re requiring these systems to be even more effective at higher speeds and to detect pedestrians,» said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman.
