The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week said that all new vehicles sold in the U.S. must be equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems by September 2029, reports Reuters.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a spike in pedestrian traffic deaths, with 2023 seeing a fatality rate higher than any pre-pandemic year since 2008. In 2022, the number of pedestrian deaths rose by 0.7%, marking a new record since 1981. With the passage of the 2021 infrastructure law, NHTSA was directed to implement standards for AEB.
After 2029, all cars and trucks must be able to stop and avoid collision with vehicles in front of them at a speed of up to 62 mph. In the event that collision with a vehicle is imminent, AEB must be applied at up to 90 mph. When a pedestrian is detected, AEB must be applied up to 45 mph.
NHTSA claimed that the new rule will save 360 lives each year and prevent 24,000 injuries. In 2016 a voluntary agreement was made by 20 automakers, stating that they would make AEB standard on nearly all U.S. vehicles. In 2023, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that all 20 automakers have followed through thus far, having equipped 95% of their products with AEB.
