Market forces, not mandates, to boost AEB uptake

By now, most people in the automotive industry will be familiar with the notion that human error is responsible for the overwhelming majority of crashes on the road. 2015 data from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) puts the figure at roughly 94%. Data like this continues to push the rollout of autonomous safety features, as OEMs move to reduce deaths and serious injury on the road. In this endeavour, the automotive industry’s ambition cannot be faulted. Some OEMs have a stated target of completely eliminating road fatalities, with Volvo seeking to eliminate road fatalities involving its vehicles by 2020.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is one such safety feature. The broad evidence supporting the safety benefits of AEB cannot be ignored, says Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General at the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). Results have already been seen in urban environments – a 2015 study from