U.S. Government Proposes Requiring Automatic Braking Systems in New Cars

Advanced Technology Can Help Reduce Traffic Fatalities and Injuries

Despite the implementation of safety warnings and measures, and increased use of airbags in automobiles, traffic related deaths in the United States continue to increase, with about 43,000 people dying in car accidents in 2022. The rise is largely driven by pedestrian fatalities, with 3,500 pedestrians having been killed in the first half of 2022, the highest number in 40 years. According to the safety agency, the economic cost of car accidents reached $340 billion in 2019, causing the death of 36,500 people, injuring 4.5 million and destroying 23 million vehicles. Officials believe that the proposed automatic braking system in new cars could save at least 360 lives and prevent 24,000 injuries every year. Even in cases where accidents cannot be prevented, automatic braking can help to reduce their severity by slowing down vehicles.

Technology Used in Brake Systems

Emergency braking systems utilize both cameras and radar to detect vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and other obstacles on the road. By analyzing the speed and direction of the vehicle in comparison to other objects, the system can determine if there is a risk of collision, alert the driver using an alarm and apply the brakes automatically if there is no response from the driver.

The first emergency braking systems were introduced in 2011, and by 2016, automakers had voluntarily agreed to integrate the technology into all new cars and trucks by 2022. The proposed rule from the agency would require higher standards than those agreed to by the automakers.

The industry’s largest lobbying group, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, has neither opposed nor endorsed the rule, stating that automatic braking technology is “advanced technology” that automakers already utilize in their cars.

Automatic braking is one of the most advanced driver-assist features in new vehicles, enabling the car to be controlled without any human intervention. Some advanced systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot, Super Cruise from General Motors and BlueCruise from Ford Motor, are capable of changing the car’s direction and allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel. The agency is currently reviewing the performance of Tesla’s Autopilot, which has been linked to 43 accidents, including 14 in which 18 people were killed.

Implementation of the Regulations May Take Several Years

Before enacting the regulation, the agency will be soliciting comments from car manufacturers, safety groups, and the public. The process could last for a year or more, and the regulation would be enforced three years after its enactment. President Biden recently withdrew the nomination of Ann E. Carlson to lead the agency due to opposition from some Republican senators regarding her past work on environmental issues. Ms. Carlson, a former law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, had been running the agency since September.