A new standard for automatic emergency braking is now facing pushback from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, reports The National Desk.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released plans for a new rule that will require AEBs in all vehicles by 2029 that are able to pass a certain set of tests. These tests include detecting pedestrians in the dark and being able to halt at up to speeds of 62 miles an hour to avoid a front-end collision.
Alliance for Automotive Innovation President and CEO John Bozzella recently spoke out against NHTSA’s proposed rule, arguing that it contradicts a decade worth of collaboration between the federal agency and the Alliance.
“This rule that NHTSA has written has no relationship with the 10 years of engagement and investment and process that we've had with the agency,” Bozzella stated. “I worry that the testing requirements in this rule are not fully feasible at this stage.”
Specifically, Bozzella highlighted the difficulty for a vehicle traveling at highway speeds to come to a stop before hitting a vehicle in front of it. Though it may avoid a front-end collision, he believes it would lead to a rear-end collision instead.
The Alliance has submitted a letter to NHTSA urging the agency to reconsider its rule, and suggested reducing the speed at which AEB must perform, allowing drivers to deactivate the system in certain situations, and to recalculate its estimation of the costs.
