Major Motor Vehicle Companies to Implement Automatic Emergency Braking Systems

The Department of Transportation (DOT), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced that ten major motor vehicle manufacturers will be equipping all vehicles from their facilities with a life saving safety system. The implementation of an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system is the result of a suggestion made in January by the DOT that will continue to become a standard safety feature in cars. The companies that will be manufacturing vehicles with AEB accounted for 57% of motor vehicle sales last year- Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo- will be adding the new technology in the vehicles they manufacture in an effort to prevent crashes.

A third of motor vehicle crashes result from rear end collisions. Such accidents can result in serious injury, or even death. The new technology would be able to detect if a crash were about to occur due to driver error and avert it by using radar, cameras, and lasers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that insurance injury claims will be reduced by up to 35%.

Sometimes drivers make judgment errors, or are simply tired or distracted. The AEB system would compensate for those errors by applying the correct amount of brake pressure and stopping the collision before it happened. Depending on the manufacturer, the system may be more effective at preventing crashes in traffic, on the highway, or both.

Car accidents can cause serious injuries. If you have been in a car accident, whether it was caused by driver error or another condition, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can discuss your claim with you and advise you of your legal rights and remedies. Call Sakkas, Cahn & Weiss, LLP at (212)571-7171.