NHTSA adding crash-avoidance technology to safety rating system

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Monday it will include automatic emergency braking (AEB) as a recommended safety technology in its 5-Star Rating System.

The NHTSA, part of the United States Department of Transportation, will include this advanced safety technology, which automatically applies the brakes to prevent crashes, to its updated rating system beginning in the 2018 model year.

The new crash-avoidance technology operates with or without the driver pressing the brakes. The system uses camera sensors, forward-looking radar and driver input. The technology will then calculate whether it is likely that crash will occur and possibly reduce the number of rear-end crashes. The new technology may also decrease the speed when crashes occur.

“We’re putting the brakes on rear-end crashes,” NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said. “Wherever possible, NHTSA will encourage and accelerate technological innovations that save lives.”

The goal of the system is to give consumers more information about the various kinds of new technology.

“We are adding automatic emergency braking features to the 5-Star Rating System because crash-avoidance technologies can save lives and should be widely accessible,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “AEB can substantially enhance safety, especially with the number of distracted drivers on the road.”