Enhanced automatic braking systems will be mandated by American safety standards.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently introduced new rules that demand advanced braking systems in new cars sold in the USA by September 2029. These updated regulations will not only improve the performance of existing systems, but also ensure they function efficiently at night, covering higher speeds than most present models.
These enhanced braking systems will ultimately help prevent collisions and decrease pedestrian impacts at significant speeds. While Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is already a common feature on various vehicle models in the country, the recent changes are expected to save hundreds of lives every year.
AEB, which is now installed in most newly-manufactured cars due to a voluntary agreement back in 2016, has mainly proven useful in safeguarding against rear-end collisions. These vehicles are equipped with sensors such as radars, sonars, or cameras to spot slowed or stopped cars or potential obstacles on the path. When the driver fails to react on time or with adequate force, the AEB systems force the brakes.
Despite incapability to prevent every collision, AEB is still beneficial in easing the impact and reducing its severity. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has discovered that the existing AEB systems successfully reduced rear-end incidents by around 50%.
Vehicles with pedestrian detection, which adds extra sensors or cameras to identify pedestrians in front, are an extension of the traditional AEB. If the driver fails to respond, the system instantly stops the car. Although it might not bring the vehicle to a halt, it can limit injury severity to pedestrians. Per a recent IIHS study, AEB with pedestrian detection effectively curbs pedestrian injuries by around 30%.
Between 2009 and now, pedestrian deaths have recorded an unprecedented rise of 83%, while fatalities from bike accidents have increased by 75%.
As per these new NHTSA requirements, AEB systems need to help mitigate oncoming vehicle collisions at speeds up to 62 miles per hour. These systems must also ensure cars grind to a halt before hitting pedestrians at maximum speeds of 45 miles per hour. If a collision still occurs, the system must apply brakes up to 90 miles per hour.
Furthermore, a recent IIHS study ascertained that existing pedestrian detection systems are inefficient in low-light situations, at high speeds, or when making turns. Therefore, there's a vast scope for improvements.
NHTSA estimates the new regulations will cause up to 360 deaths to be averted every year with as many as 24,000 injuries.
"Already, most new vehicles contain AEB, and we foresee that many cars and light trucks will comply with these standards before the deadline, thus helping to save more lives through this technology," stated NHTSA Deputy Administrator, Sophie Shulman.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
