Apr 11/23
Automotive Technology: What to Know About Automatic Emergency Braking
In today’s world, it’s not uncommon to be in your car and see driver after driver with a cell phone in their hand. In fact, 6% of fatal crashes in 2020 were related to distracted driving.
Another 2% of fatal accidents were connected to drivers who were driving while drowsy.
Cars that contain automatic emergency braking could potentially help avoid these types of accidents by taking over when needed to prevent those unfortunate accidents.
Wondering how the technology works for automatic emergency braking? Read on to learn more about this collision avoidance technology.
What Is Automatic Emergency Braking?
Automatic emergency braking, or AEB, is a type of safety system that helps your car anticipate when an accident is about to occur.
A car about to be in a collision with automatic emergency braking will have the car take over for the human driver and activate braking to avoid an accident.
Often the reaction time of the AEB is faster than a human reaction time. This can help reduce the impact of an accident or avoid it altogether.
As part of the system, many AEB systems will give an alert on the dash and a vibration in the steering wheel to alert the driver.
How Do Automatic Braking Systems Work
Not all car makers have automatic emergency braking systems that operate similarly. Generally, the system uses radar sensors, cameras, or even LiDAR on the car.
These systems can anticipate an accident about to occur and kick-start the braking technology.
The emergency brakes work in most cars by tracking the distance between your vehicle and the cars around you. When the sensors feel the car is about to face impact, they act to slow or stop the vehicle.
It is important for users to understand that not all automatic braking systems work the same. So, if your car comes with this technology, it’s necessary to know when it begins working and how it reacts.
Standard Features and Common Variations
It was announced by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) that as many as 20 automakers are already using some form of this technology standard in their cars.
This means that if you have a car built in 2022 or 2023, it likely has some form of this technology. There are several variations in technology that automakers are using with automatic emergency braking. These include:
- AEB with pedestrian detection that also detects potential collisions with cyclists or pedestrians
- AEB with additional rear automatic emergency braking for when the car is backing up
Estimates suggest that this technology can reduce accidents, both front-end and rear-end, by as much as 50%.
How the Auto Industry Is Working to Improve Auto Technology
Putting automatic emergency braking into cars of the future is a smart technology for automakers and is vastly supported by both drivers and the insurance industry.
Drivers need to know how their system works and when it kicks in to take over braking.
As a Tier 1 auto supplier at Mayco International, our highest priority is helping automakers create and build this kind of technology. Contact us to learn more about our involvement in parts supply.