Automatic emergency braking (AEB) isn't perfect, but the technology is improving, according to a recent study by AAA. The research comes on the heels of a new federal rule requiring all vehicles to have the more robust version of AEB by 2029.
AAA wanted to see how newer vehicles fared with AEB compared to older models with this technology. AEB uses forward-facing cameras and other sensors to automatically tell the car to apply the brakes when a crash is imminent. And according to test results, newer versions of AEB are much better at preventing frontal collisions than earlier versions of the technology.
The group of motorists conducted their test on a private closed circuit using older (2017-2018) and newer (2024) versions 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 performed at different speeds. And a fake vehicle was placed in the middle of the road to see if AEB could avoid a collision.
100 percent of new vehicles brake before a collision.
As expected, newer models performed much better than older ones: 100 percent of 2024 vehicles braked before a collision, compared to 51 percent of older vehicles.
Still, this most recent test only involved head-on collisions. Previous AAA studies found that AEB is not well equipped to prevent other common types of crashes, such as T-collisions and left turns in front of oncoming vehicles.
“Since we began testing AEB in 2014, advances by automakers are commendable and show promise for improving driver safety,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering research. “There is still a lot of work ahead to ensure systems operate at higher speeds.”
It was a positive sign that AEB is improving, considering that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized a new requirement for all light vehicles to have robust AEB systems by 2029. About 90 percent of vehicles that cars on the road today come standard with AEB, but the new rule requires automakers to adopt 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.
Still, automakers are struggling to slow adoption of the new standard. Earlier this year, the Automotive Innovation Alliance, which represents most major automakers, sent a letter to NHTSA arguing that the final rule is “virtually impossible with available technology” and urging the agency to delay its implementation.
