Automatic Brakes Cut Crashes, Studies Say
The systems also reduce injuries.

One study also determined that AEB performs well in all weather, road and lighting conditions.
IMAGE: Getty Images/Chesky_W
Automatic emergency braking reduces crashes, according to two new studies.
The first study of the Partnership for Analytics Research for Traffic Safety, or PARTS, a partnership of carmakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, found that vehicles with such braking systems and with forward collision warning resulted in 49% fewer front-to-rear crashes compared to vehicles without either system. Rear crashes with injuries were reduced by 53%.
“These emerging technologies can substantially reduce the number of crashes and improve safety outcomes,” said Tim Czapp, industry co-chairman of the PARTS Governance Board and a senior manager at Stellantis. “Demonstrating industry’s proactive commitment, AEB is approaching standard deployment and with real-world effectiveness, is helping mitigate injuries and lives lost.”
Meanwhile, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows automatic emergency braking cuts rear-end crash rates for pickup trucks by 43%. The finding was based on crashes reported to police in 25 states from 2017 to 2020, calculating the rate pickups rear-ended other vehicles, per registered vehicle year.
But pickups are less likely to be equipped with AEB than other vehicles, IIHS found.
“These numbers confirm that AEB is reducing crashes for pickups, just as it is for cars , SUVs and large trucks,” said study author Jessica Cicchino, IIHS vice president of research.
In the PARTS study, carmakers supplied data for about 47 million vehicles of 2015 through 2020 model years. The NHTSA also furnished data for more than 12 million crashes reported to police in 13 states.
The study also determined that AEB performs well in all weather, road and lighting conditions.
Automatic braking can stop a vehicle to avoid an imminent wreck or slow its speed to reduce the severity of a crash.
Yet an AAA study released earlier this year found that AEB doesn’t always work as it should and that its testing requirements need updating for more realistic speeds and scenarios.
Originally posted on F&I and Showroom
More Industry

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint
Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.
Read More →
Agent Acumen
An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.
Read More →
Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity
As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.
Read More →
Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan
The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.
Read More →
Selling to Grow
The question of whether you should sell your agency and if so, when, is up to you. But it’s a question worth asking to ensure you keep the business on the right path for yourself, employees and clients.
Read More →
Recalled Vehicles Hit 5-Year High
Though the number of events has fallen so far this year, impacted units are up significantly. Meanwhile, regulators consider consumer notification changes.
Read More →
Auto Group Acquires Top-Performing Rooftop
Car Pros sold its Kia Huntington Beach location to Sutherlin Automotive Group, marking the buyer’s third location in Southern California.
Read More →
China as Pacesetter
Automotive leaders huddled on where North America stands in the global picture and how it can strengthen its position against the Asian juggernaut’s surging industry.
Read More →
BMW Concept Car Makes Fuel to Burn
The prototype developed in concert with a South Carolina university engineering team generates more solar energy than it uses in a typical daily commute.
Read More →
South Carolina Auto Group Downsizes
Florida-based group Holler-Classic has acquired four rooftops, its first in South Carolina, from Dick Smith Automotive Group.
Read More →