The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Wednesday that it plans to require all new passenger cars and light trucks to have automatic emergency braking systems by 2026.
The agency said the new rule will make the braking systems more effective at higher speeds and better at avoiding pedestrians, especially at night. The rule will also set stricter safety standards for the systems, which are designed to prevent or reduce the severity of rear-end crashes.
According to NHTSA, automatic emergency braking systems can detect an impending collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian and apply the brakes automatically if the driver fails to react. The agency estimates that the technology will save at least 360 lives and prevent at least 24,000 injuries per year.
The new rule will require, for example, that the systems allow vehicles to fully avoid other vehicles at up to 50 miles per hour if the driver does not brake at all. If the driver brakes some but not enough to stop a collision, the system would have to avoid hitting another vehicle at up to 62 mph.
The rule will also require that the systems detect pedestrians in the dark and stop the vehicle from hitting them at up to 37 mph.
NHTSA said that 90% of new passenger vehicles already include the braking technology under a voluntary program that automakers have agreed to. But the agency said it wants to make sure that all new vehicles have the technology and that it meets consistent and rigorous standards.
The regulation proposed by NHTSA will undergo a 60-day public comment period before the agency decides on a final version.
The announcement comes as traffic deaths in the U.S. remain high despite a slight decline last year. NHTSA said that 42,795 people died on U.S. roadways in 2021, which is still a national crisis. The agency said it is working on several initiatives to improve road safety, including advancing vehicle technologies, enhancing driver behavior, and improving infrastructure.
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