A U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandate requires all vehicles to have the most robust version of automatic emergency braking (AEB) by 2029. The good news is that this advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology has already shown itself to be reliable in avoiding forward collisions, according to new research from insurance giant AAA.
In testing, AAA found that 2024 vehicles equipped with AEB avoided 100% of forward collisions when tested at speeds up to 35 mph. By comparison, older model vehicles (2017-2018) only avoided collisions 51% of the time.
“Since we began testing AEB in 2014, the advancements by automakers are commendable and promising in improving driver safety,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering research at AAA. “There is still significant work ahead to ensure the systems work at higher speeds.”
AEB technology uses forward-facing cameras and other sensors to automatically apply the brakes when a crash is deemed imminent.
Substantial improvement
AAA has been testing ADAS technology including AEB over the past decade. In this most recent study, the company found substantial improvement to the technology as newest models were able to avoid all potential collisions at slower speeds. This improvement in AEB technology is promising to reduce the risk of collisions and injuries on the road, AAA said.
However, AAA warned that technology alone is not a replacement for an attentive driver even as these technologies continue to evolve and improve even further in the coming years.
Higher speeds
While at slower speeds AEB performed well, most of the miles driven in the U.S. occur at higher speeds above 35 mph. So how does AEB perform at these higher speeds?
AAA tested scenarios at 45 mph and 55 mph. At 45 mph, three out of four vehicles evaluated avoided a collision at this speed. At 55 mph, none of the test vehicles avoided a collision.
That means that there is much work to be done as the NHTSA mandate calls for new vehicles to avoid a forward collision at speeds up to 62 mph by 2029.
Why it matters
ADAS is extremely popular among consumers. While autonomous driving still has a long way to go before it is accepted by drivers and passengers, universally wanted is more ADAS applications inside modern vehicles.
While there is more work to educate consumers on ADAS technologies, these types of studies may go a long way to showing the benefits of the applications. When consumers want something in their vehicles, it generally becomes a standard feature and it is likely as ADAS become more popular, other features will become standard as well.