The technology could help reduce fatal accidents.
Traffic fatalities are one of the most persistent causes of death in the United States and are increasing despite technological advances such as crash warning and avoidance systems and the increased use of air bags. Traffic fatalities had been declining until about a decade ago, when they began to rise rapidly. According to the highway safety agency, 42,795 people were killed in car accidents in 2022. That was slightly less than in 2021, but 31 percent more than in 2014.
The increase has been driven by an increase in pedestrian fatalities. An estimated 3,500 pedestrians were killed in the first half of 2022, the most recent period for which data is available. That’s a 5 percent increase over the same period in 2021 and the highest number in 40 years.
The number of victims goes beyond the deaths. In 2019, the economic cost of auto accidents totaled $340 billion, according to the safety agency. In that year, 36,500 people were killed in car accidents, 4.5 million were injured, and 23 million vehicles were damaged.
Government officials said the automatic braking proposal could save at least 360 lives a year and reduce injuries by about 24,000 a year.
Braking systems use radars or cameras to anticipate accidents.
Automatic emergency braking systems typically use cameras, radar, or both to detect vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and other obstacles. By comparing a vehicle’s speed and direction to that of other vehicles or people, these systems can calculate when a collision appears imminent, alert the driver via an alarm, and activate the brakes if drivers fail to do so.
The first of these systems was introduced in 2011. Five years later, automakers voluntarily agreed to make automatic emergency braking technology standard on all new cars and trucks by 2022. The agency said the proposed rule would impose standards. higher on automatic braking than tech automakers. have voluntarily agreed to use.
Automatic braking is a component of the advanced driver assistance systems found in some new cars on sale today. These systems are capable of steering a vehicle without human intervention and, in some cases, changing lanes and allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel for long periods on the roads. These include Tesla’s Autopilot system, General Motors’ Super Cruise, and Ford Motor’s BlueCruise.
The federal security agency has been investigating Tesla’s system after it apparently failed to identify and detect other vehicles in some situations. The agency is looking at 43 accidents, including 14 that killed 18 people, that occurred while Tesla’s Autopilot or more advanced system, which the company calls fully autonomous driving, was engaged.
It could be a few years before the rules go into effect.
The safety agency will receive feedback on the rule from automakers, safety advocates and the public before finalizing it, a process that can take a year or more. The rule will take effect three years after its adoption.