According to a recent study by AAA, automatic emergency braking (AEB) isn't perfect, but the technology is improving. The research follows a new federal rule requiring all vehicles to have the most robust version of AEB by 2029.
AAA wanted to see how newer vehicles with AEB perform compared to older models with this technology. AEB uses forward-facing cameras and other sensors to automatically tell the car to apply the brakes if an accident is imminent. And according to test results, newer versions of AEB are much better at preventing forward collisions than older versions of the technology.
The motorist group conducted its test on a private, closed track using older (2017-2018) and newer versions (2024) of the same three vehicles: Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Outback. Each vehicle was tested at 12 mph, 25 mph and 35 mph to see how well AEB works at different speeds. And a fake vehicle was placed in the middle of the road to see if AEB could prevent a collision.
100 percent of new vehicles braked before a collision
Unsurprisingly, the newer models performed significantly better than the older ones: 100 percent of 2024 vehicles braked before a collision, compared to 51 percent of older vehicles.
However, this more recent test involved only forward collisions. Previous AAA studies found that AEB is unable to prevent other common types of accidents such as T-bone collisions and left turns in front of oncoming vehicles.
“Since we began testing AEB in 2014, the progress made by automakers has been commendable and promising for improving driver safety,” said Greg Brannon, head of automotive research. “There is still a lot of work ahead to ensure the systems operate at higher speeds.”
This was a positive sign that the AEB system is improving, considering the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) adopted a new requirement that all light-duty vehicles have robust AEB systems by 2029. Around 90 percent of vehicles on the road today are equipped with AEB as standard, but the new rule requires automakers to introduce a more robust version of the technology that can stop vehicles traveling at higher speeds and detect vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians, even at night.
Nevertheless, car manufacturers are trying to slow down the introduction of the new regulation. Earlier this year, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most major automakers, sent a letter to NHTSA arguing that the final rule was “virtually impossible with available technology” and urged the agency to implement it to postpone.