I found this article in the Detroit Free Press.

 

 

March 17–Automakers, safety regulators and consumer groups have agreed to require automatic emergency braking in new vehicles by 2022, according to several people who were briefed on the matter.

Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will make the announcement Thursday at a highway research center in McLean, Va.

The automated system is already available in many models. It is an example of how semi-autonomous features can improve safety by enhancing a vehicle’s ability to avoid collisions.

The technology integrates cameras, radar and other sensors to detect objects and pedestrians in the path of a car even if the driver can’t see it. Requiring it as standard equipment will accelerate its deployment and possibly reduce the costs.

“This agreement is great news from a safety standpoint, but the reality is, cars will need automatic braking — along with a host of other autonomous features by 2022 — just to be competitive,” said Karl Brauer, an industry analyst with Kelley Blue Book. “The incremental cost of adding these high-tech driver aids is dropping every year.”

Regulators and representatives of the insurance industry have discussed the issue for months. NHTSA research shows human error is responsible for more than nine of every 10 traffic accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which will take part in Thursday’s announcement, released a study this year showing that automatic emergency braking could reduce the number of rear-end collisions by up to 40%.