In a significant move to enhance road safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced new regulations requiring all new passenger vehicles in the United States to have advanced automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems by September 2029. These systems are designed to prevent or mitigate collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians at higher speeds than most current AEB systems.
The NHTSA's final version of the new regulation, unveiled on April 29, 2024, aims to save hundreds of lives and prevent thousands of injuries each year. The requirement applies to light vehicles with a gross weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.
Automatic emergency braking systems have already been in use since 2011 and typically employ cameras, radar, or both to detect obstacles in front of a vehicle. These systems alert the driver if a collision is imminent and apply the brakes automatically if necessary. The new regulations will set specific standards for these systems to meet.
According to NHTSA data, nearly 2.2 million rear-end crashes were reported to police in the United States in 2019, resulting in 1,798 fatalities and over half a million injuries. Pedestrian fatalities have also increased by 83% since reaching a low point in 2009.
The new regulations will require AEB systems to stop and avoid contact with vehicles in front of them up to 62 miles per hour, detect pedestrians during the day and at night, and apply brakes automatically up to 90 mph for lead vehicle collisions or up to 45 mph for pedestrian detections.
The NHTSA has already tested several vehicles under these new requirements. Only one vehicle, the 2023 Toyota Corolla, has met them so far. The agency expects many cars and light trucks to be able to meet the standards ahead of the deadline.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed his confidence in these new safety regulations, stating that they will save lives and prevent injuries for drivers and pedestrians alike. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes these new vehicle safety standards, is expected to usher in a new era of safer travel on U.S. roads.
