Global carmakers have united against new rules for the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, arguing that the assistant is too expensive and impractical.
U.S. authorities want car manufacturers to make automatic emergency braking mandatory at speeds up to 100 km/h, and brands such as Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and Honda are not happy with the new initiative.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) is a lobbying organization with ties dating back to the 1960s and includes Stellantis, Honda, Hyundai, KIA, BMW, Mercedes, GM, Ford, Ferrari, Isuzu, Mazda, Toyota, Nissan , Mitsubishi, McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, Volvo, etc.
According to the Wall Street Journal, AAI has filed a petition against some of the new AEB rules with NHTSA. In 2016, several automakers voluntarily agreed to add AEB to most of their models, and US officials wanted to make their AEB testing protocol more stringent.
The latest regulations require AEB systems to be able to brake the car automatically at speeds of up to 150 km/h and work effectively to avoid a collision with another vehicle at speeds of up to 100 km/h.
„The new vehicle safety standards we finalized today will save hundreds of lives and prevent tens of thousands of injuries each year,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at the adoption of the new rules.
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Carmakers, however, believe the new rules are simply too expensive and ineffective, adding that they will have to pass the extra cost on to the consumer.
„Yes, this rule will make vehicles more expensive, but the real issue is not the cost, but the cost-benefit ratio. They will require more expensive systems that will not improve driver or pedestrian safety, “ says John Bozella, president of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.