The Biden administration plans to require all new cars and trucks to come equipped with pedestrian-collision avoidance systems that include automatic emergency braking technology by the end of the decade. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that the goal is to reduce pedestrian deaths, which have been on the rise post-Covid 19. The new standards will require vehicles to avoid contact at speeds up to 62 mph and be able to detect pedestrians in the dark, as well as mandate braking at up to 45 mph when a pedestrian is detected. The Transportation Department estimates that these new rules could save 360 lives a year and prevent 24,000 injuries.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry trade group representing auto manufacturers, stated that it had not seen the new rule and therefore could not comment directly on it. However, the group noted that technologies like automatic emergency braking have been game-changing and that automakers have voluntarily committed to installing them on new vehicles. Deaths of pedestrians have increased in recent years, with over 7,500 pedestrians killed by drivers in 2022, the most since 1981. The pedestrian fatality rate per billion vehicle miles traveled has also increased since the pandemic, although it began to decline in the first half of 2023.
Research has shown that the pandemic has led to an increase in risky driving behaviors, such as speeding, and a decline in public transit ridership, resulting in more road deaths. Delayed sales of newer vehicles, which tend to be safer and feature the latest accident-prevention technologies, have also contributed to the rise in road deaths. However, consumers have shown some resistance to the proposed required technology, with drivers reporting issues such as the system activating when it shouldn’t, sensitivity issues, and perceived loss of control due to technological interventions in modern vehicles.
Despite consumer concerns, Buttigieg emphasized that the technology is still being refined, which is why the requirement won’t take effect until the end of 2029. He stated that the $82 added cost to a new vehicle for this technology is worthwhile for the lives saved. Buttigieg stressed that such lifesaving technology should not be limited to those who can afford it as an optional feature, and it should be standard in all new vehicles. The administration aims to ensure that all cars rolling off the line have the capability to prevent collisions and save lives.
In conclusion, the Biden administration’s plan to require pedestrian-collision avoidance systems with automatic emergency braking in all new vehicles aims to reduce pedestrian deaths and prevent injuries on the road. While industry groups have not directly commented on the new rule, they acknowledge the effectiveness of such technologies in improving safety. The rise in pedestrian fatalities in recent years, combined with the increase in risky driving behaviors during the pandemic, underscores the importance of these safety features. Despite some consumer resistance to the technology due to concerns about control and activation issues, Buttigieg believes that the benefits of saving lives outweigh these challenges and that the technology will continue to be refined before the requirement takes effect in 2029.
