New US Vehicles Must Have Automatic Emergency Braking by 2029

NHTSA projects that the new standard will save at least 360 lives annually while preventing a minimum of 24,000 injuries every year.

Tesla cars are parked in front of a Tesla showroom and service center in Burlingame, Calif., on May 20, 2019. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

All new cars sold in the United States by 2029 should have an automatic braking system that will be triggered when a collision becomes a possibility, according to new regulations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

On Monday, the NHTSA finalized a new standard requiring all passenger cars and light trucks to have automatic emergency braking (AEB), including pedestrian AEB, by September 2029. “AEB systems use sensors to detect when a vehicle is close to crashing into a vehicle or pedestrian in front and automatically applies the brakes if the driver has not,” according to the press release. “Pedestrian AEB technology will detect a pedestrian in both daylight and in darker conditions at night. This will significantly reduce injury or property damage and associated costs from these crashes.”

The new standard mandates that all cars be able to stop and avoid contact with a vehicle in front at speeds of up to 62 miles per hour.

When a collision with a lead vehicle is imminent, the standard requires the system to apply brakes automatically at speeds of up to 90 mph. This is higher than the current maximum speed limit in the United States which is 85 mph. When a pedestrian is detected, the braking has to be triggered at speeds of up to 45 mph.

NHTSA projects that the new standard will end up saving at least 360 lives annually while preventing a minimum of 24,000 injuries every year.

“Automatic emergency braking is proven to save lives and reduce serious injuries from frontal crashes, and this technology is now mature enough to require it in all new cars and light trucks. In fact, this technology is now so advanced that we’re requiring these systems to be even more effective at higher speeds and to detect pedestrians,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman.

“Most new vehicles already come with AEB, and we expect that many cars and light trucks will be able to meet this standard ahead of the deadline.”

The new rule applies to almost all U.S. light vehicles, vehicles with a gross weight rating of 1,000 pounds or less.

NHTSA’s new standard fulfills a provision in the bipartisan infrastructure law which requires all passenger vehicles to be equipped with AEB.

In June last year, NHTSA and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced a proposed rule applying AEB requirements to heavy vehicles, including tractor-trailers. The agencies are in the process of finalizing these rules.

According to NHTSA data, 40,990 individuals are estimated to have died in motor vehicle crashes in 2023, a 3.6 percent decrease from 2022.

Data from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) shows that drivers struck and killed at least 7,508 pedestrians in 2022, which was the highest number since 1981.

Backing the Rule, Voluntary Implementation

In comments submitted to the NHTSA, multiple groups supported the new AEB requirement. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) welcomed the regulation, saying it adds “a further layer of protection to our members against being struck by vehicles during an emergency incident response.”

“With distracted driving on the rise, secondary vehicle crashes are a real threat to first responders. This concerning trend needs to change. Secondary vehicle crashes occur due to the presence of a previous vehicle crash, often because a driver becomes distracted at the glimpse of the previous crash. Or it could be that they are distracted by other pieces of technology,” the IAFC said.

“Implementing these requirements found in the proposed rule would limit the possibility that this worrisome trend will continue.”

Hyundai America Technical Center, representing Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation, also welcomed the measure. “Automatic emergency braking is an important component of the larger, holistic approach to improving safety on U.S. roadways. Codifying this technology into federal regulation should be done judiciously.”

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) said it supports collision avoidance objectives put forward by NHTSA. However, it asked the agency to “continue to evaluate the feasibility of previously expressed standards.”

“APCIA believes that flexibility in the development of standards and measurable goals should not be disregarded to achieve specifically articulated benchmarks. Rather, progressive improvements in reducing crash frequency and severity should be the overarching objective of NHTSA in its implementation of the proposed standards,” it stated.

The NHTSA has long been pushing car manufacturers to implement AEB as a standard feature of consumer vehicles.

Under the Trump administration, NHTSA, and the non-profit research group Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), invited 20 auto manufacturers to commit to including AEB in 95 percent of their light-duty models before September 2022.

The 20 auto firms were Audi, BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo Car USA. Combined, these companies represented over 99 percent of the auto market in the country at the time.

According to a December 2023 post from IIHS, all 20 automakers have fulfilled the commitment, equipping almost all light vehicles they manufacture in the United States with AEB.

“The successful completion of this milestone shows what can be achieved when automakers and safety advocates work together toward our common goal of eliminating as many crashes as possible,” IIHS president David Harkey said.