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National
Not All Self-Braking Cars Are Designed to Stop
By
Aug 25, 2016 - 1:55:39 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - New test results from AAA reveal that automatic emergency braking systems-the safety technology that will soon be standard equipment on 99 percent of vehicles - vary widely in design and performance.  These systems are designed to automatically apply a vehicle's brakes if it determines a collision is imminent.  Some systems are designed to mitigate crash severity by reducing vehicle speed, while others are designed to avoid a crash altogether when possible.

All the systems tested by AAA are designed to apply the brakes when a driver fails to engage, however, those that are designed to prevent crashes reduced vehicle speeds by nearly twice that of those designed to lessen crash severity.  While any reduction in speed offers a significant safety benefit to drivers, AAA warns that since automatic braking systems are not all designed to prevent collisions,  consumers should fully understand their vehicle's capabilities and limitations before purchasing a new vehicle.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rear-end collisions, which automatic emergency braking systems are designed to mitigate, result in nearly 2,000 fatalities and more than 500,000 injuries annually.  Currently, 10 percent of new vehicles have automatic emergency braking as standard equipment, and more than half of new vehicles offer the feature as an option. For its potential to reduce crash severity, 22 automakers representing 99 percent of vehicles sales have committed to making automatic emergency braking systems standard on all new vehicles by 2022.  For more information on this study, visit NewsRoom.AAA.com.


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