Twenty major automakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have reached an agreement to include automatic emergency braking standard equipment on most cars by 2022. The agreement is scheduled to get announced on Thursday.
Automatic emergency braking systems have proved their efficiency in preventing car accidents. Through the agreement, the automakers have committed phasing in the equipment on nearly all models except some with older electronic capabilities and some with manual transmissions, reports ABC 7 News citing unnamed sources who have spoken on condition of anonymity since the announcement hasn't yet been made public.
Mark Rosekid, administrator of the NHTSA is expected to announce the agreement at a highway research center in McLean, Virginia. The automated system has already been installed in many models. It represents an instance of improving safety through semi-autonomous vehicles which enhances vehicle's ability to avoid collisions, according to a report published in the USA Today.
Automatic emergency braking uses cameras, radar and other sensors to recognize objects in the way and make a vehicle to slow or stop if the driver doesn't react. The automakers are struggling to fit the system into current product plans which may not suite the electronics. Incorporating the feature as standard equipment on nearly all cars is believed to propel up the adoption of the technology. The NHTSA chief has declined to comment on the announcement while addressing an autonomous car conference on Wednesday in Dearborn, Michigan. However, he hints that the agreement will cover tractor-trailer rigs as well as cars and other light vehicles. Safety appears as the universal concern for all vehicles on the road, reports Greenfield Daily Reporter quoting the NHTSA administrator. Around 60% of the new cars include similar safety technology. However, an optional package of the system may cost additional $500 to $3,000. Manufacturers of almost all cars have voluntarily agreed to include these systems as standard equipment by the year 2022, cites Jennifer Stockburger of Consumer Reports, a product review and rating agency. Until then, the rating agency will continue to evaluate the systems as they are introduced. Meanwhile, Consumer Reports have changed their car rating system awarding bonus points to vehicles with the safety technology standard on all its trim lines. NHTSA research holds human error responsible for more than nine of every 10 traffic accidents. According to a study conducted by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, automatic emergency braking may reduce the number of rear-end collisions by up to 40%. The institute is also scheduled to take part while making Thursday's announcement.
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