Automatic emergency braking is better at preventing crashes

Automatic emergency braking (AEB) isn’t perfect, but the technology is improving, according to a recent study by AAA. The study comes on the heels of a new federal law requiring all vehicles to have a more robust version of AEB by 2029.

AAA wanted to see how new cars with AEB fare compared to older models with the technology. AEB uses forward-facing cameras and other sensors to automatically tell the car to apply the brakes in the event of an accident. And according to the test results, the new versions of AEB are much better at preventing forward collisions than the older versions of the technology.

A group of drivers conducted their test in a secret closed environment using the old (2017-2018) and new (2024) models of three identical vehicles: Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Rogue, and Subaru Outback. Each car was tested at 12mph, 25mph, and 35mph to see how well the AEB performs at different speeds. A dummy car is also placed in the middle of the road to see if AEB can avoid collisions.

Surprisingly, the new models performed much better than the old ones: 100 percent of the 2024 vehicles braked before a collision, compared to 51 percent of the older vehicles.

However, this latest test only involved forward collisions. Previous AAA research has found AEB to be poorly equipped to prevent other common types of crashes, such as T-bone crashes and left turns in front of oncoming traffic.

“Since we began testing AEB in 2014, automakers’ progress has been impressive and promising in improving driver safety,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering research. “There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that the systems are running at maximum speed.”

It was a good sign that AEB is making progress, considering that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finalized a new requirement for all low-speed vehicles to have robust AEB systems by 2029. About 90 percent of the cars on the road today meet the standard. AEB, but the new law requires car manufacturers to use a more robust version of the technology that can stop high-speed vehicles and detect vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, even at night.

However, car manufacturers are scrambling to put the brakes on the new law. Earlier this year, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most of the major automakers, sent a letter to NHTSA arguing that the final rule is “completely infeasible with available technology” and urging the agency to delay its implementation.