Auto emergency braking can cut crashes by over 40%, studies show
Automatic braking can also reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%
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Two new studies conducted in the U.S. show that automatic emergency braking can slash the number of rear-end automobile crashes in half.
In addition, it can reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%.
Automatic emergency braking can bring vehicles to a stop if a crash is imminent, or slow them down to reduce the severity of the crash.
The research, conducted by a government-auto industry partnership and the insurance industry, used crash data to reach these conclusions.
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The Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety looked at data on auto equipment with 12 million police-reported crashes from 13 states that was collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Traffic is seen on a highway in New York, U.S., July 2, 2021. (REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz / Reuters Photos)
The group found front-to-rear crashes were cut 49% when the striking vehicle had forward collision alert plus automatic braking, in comparison with vehicles that didn't have either system. Rear crashes with injuries were cut by 53%.
It also studied forward collision warning and vehicles with forward collision warning systems only reduced rear-end crashes by 16%, cutting rear crashes with injuries by 19%.
Two test drivers are sitting in a test vehicle during an emergency braking maneuver, which drives fully automatically on the VW test site. (Photo by Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images) ((Photo by Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Automatic emergency braking worked well in all weather, roadway and lighting conditions.
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In addition, in examining lane departure warning systems and lane-keeping systems, the study's authors found they reduced crashes from autos leaving the roadway by 8% and road-departure crashes that cause injuries by 7%.
GMC and Chevrolet pickup trucks sit in a parking lot outside the GM Fort Wayne Assembly Plant on May 30, 2019, in Roanoke, Indiana. (Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images) ((Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
In the second study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety determined that automatic emergency braking reduces rear crash rates for pickups by 43% and rear-end injury crashes by 42%.
Yet pickups are less likely to have automatic braking than cars or SUVs despite posing more danger to other road users, the IIHS found.
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Some automakers are working toward a commitment to make the braking standard on 95% of light-duty models during the current model year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.