Crash Prevention Technology’s Potential
New cars today are equipped with a suite of safety features, with automatic emergency braking (AEB) being a prominent example. Researchers like those at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) say these systems are already saving lives and offer the potential to save many more. However, there’s ongoing debate about how best to refine and implement these technologies.
Crash prevention technology is the kind of feature you hope you never have to use. — Joel Rose
Testing the Limits of Safety Systems
At the IIHS campus in Virginia, a special outdoor testing lab puts these systems to the test. David Aylor, IIHS’s vice president, demonstrated the technology’s effectiveness. In a controlled test, a Mercedes SUV accelerated toward a life-size test dummy. Even as Aylor kept his foot on the accelerator, the car braked automatically, stopping with just feet to spare.
David Aylor explained, “It will apply the brakes. I’m just sort of keeping my foot steady on the pedal here.” He confirmed, “Nope. See; I kept my foot on the gas.”
Advances in Crash Prevention
Aylor noted that just a few years ago, only a limited number of automatic braking systems earned the IIHS’s top rating, but now many of them do. While performance can be slightly less effective at night, improvements in camera technology are helping address this. He emphasized, “We’ve seen in our testing over the last, you know, four or five years pretty big improvements in the performance of the vehicles. So I think this technology has huge potential.”
Widespread Adoption and its Impact
These advancements offer a glimmer of hope amidst challenging statistics. Car crashes in the U.S. claim over 40,000 lives annually, including over 7,000 pedestrians. While these numbers increased during the pandemic, they have decreased slightly in the last two years, a trend that correlates with the wider adoption of AEB and other driver assistance technologies.
Jennifer Morrison, head of vehicle safety for Mazda North America, highlighted the market penetration of these systems: “These systems have really infiltrated the new vehicle market.”
Voluntary Agreement and Mandates
Automakers agreed to include AEB in their vehicles in 2016, working alongside federal regulators and safety advocates. Now, AEB and other driver assistance technologies are standard in over 90% of new vehicles, a feat Morrison describes as impressive, especially since, “they’re not required. This is all voluntary. This is all based on automakers and the government’s commitment to advancing vehicle safety.”
Debate Over Standards and Regulations
Despite the progress, safety advocates like Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, believe more must be done, warning, “There’s a lot of question marks. Just putting AEB into a car doesn’t mean problem solved. It may or may not stop in time to avoid a collision.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) plans to make AEB mandatory and establish federal safety standards, starting with the 2029 model year, to address these concerns.
Challenges and Industry Concerns
Industry groups, such as the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, are voicing concerns. John Bozzella, the organization’s president, argues that regulators are asking for overly ambitious performance, especially for highway speeds. He worries that overly sensitive systems might lead to unintended consequences. Bozzella cautioned, “What I’m concerned about is we’re going to make driving – especially highway driving – more erratic when we should be making it more predictable.”
Following the regulators’ largely dismissing formal petitions, Bozzella called that decision wrong and disastrous. He is now also calling on the incoming Trump administration to reverse it.
