The NHTSA proposed mandatory implementation of AEB systems in passenger vehicles, but testing has shown how faulty these systems can be. The NHTSA wants to address this issue by collecting more data and advancing pedestrian AEB rulemaking.
via thetruthaboutcars:
Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) floated the notion that every new passenger vehicle should come with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. It would seem that the stage is being set for another mandatory safety inclusion, with the NHTSA targeting universal implementation by the end of the decade. But adding another safety net would come with a few complications, as AEB doesn’t really qualify as a passive system.
Mandatory implementation of automatic emergency braking sets a precedent for government regulators to require all manner of other devices that effectively wrangle control away from the driver. Other required systems either work in tandem with the driver to make them more effective (e.g. reverse cameras) or don’t bother coming into play until an accident has already taken place (e.g. seat belts and airbags). But AEB effectively has the car assessing a situation and deciding when to apply the brakes without any input from the driver.
Testing has likewise shown how faulty these systems can be. The American Automobile Association (AAA) ran a series of studies to see how competent mainstream automatic braking applications were and the results were less than enviable in most situations. But it could be argued that the systems are there to help mitigate the severity of a crash, rather than preventing them outright. Realistically, most AEB systems seem pretty decent at avoiding fender benders with the vehicle directly in front of you but borderline useless when it comes to smacking into pedestrians. Many likewise seem to suffer from night blindness and become less effective at higher operating speeds.