Long before most motorists ride in a self-driving car, they’ll likely drive a vehicle that contains the fundamental building blocks of autonomous technology. Earlier this year, 20 automakers committed to making automated emergency braking a standard feature on every vehicle they sell by 2022, a development that will improve safety on more than 99 percent of vehicles purchased by American car buyers.
But all automated emergency braking systems are not created equal. New research from AAA reveals the design and performance of these potential life-saving systems can vary dramatically, and most consumers don?t understand the nuances in the technology that could mean the difference between lessening the severity of a crash and avoiding one entirely. Systems intended to prevent crashes reduced vehicle speeds in testing by nearly twice that of systems designed only to lessen crash severity. AAA found that the former achieved a 79 percent reduction in overall speeds versus 40 percent reductions for mitigation systems.
?With the proliferation of vehicle technology, it?s more important than ever for drivers to fully understand their vehicles’ capabilities and limitations before driving off the dealer lot,? said John Nielsen, AAA?s managing director of automotive engineering and repair.
AAA researchers conducted more than 70 trials of the emergency braking systems using five 2016-model vehicles: the Honda Civic, Lincoln MKX, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen Passat, and Volvo X...