Self-braking cars to be standard

Federal safety regulators, the insurance industry and a coalition of the world’s largest automakers announced an agreement Friday to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature in future car models sold in the U.S.

Such systems, which alert a driver to a potential forward collision and robotically trigger the brakes, have proved successful in reducing crashes, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but they are typically an expensive option.

“We are entering a new era of vehicle safety, focused on preventing crashes from ever occurring, rather than just protecting occupants when crashes happen,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “If technologies such as automatic emergency braking are only available as options or on the most expensive models, too few Americans will see the benefits of this new era.”

Ten automakers – Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo – will work with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop a timeline for installing automatic braking as a standard feature in all vehicles they sell.

Those companies accounted for 57 percent of U.S. auto sales last year.

Making the systems standard will be an important step in motor vehicle safety, said Jake Fisher, automotive test director at Consumer Reports.

As the feature finds its way into more vehicles, Consumer Reports will stop recommending cars that lack it, Fisher said.

“We have tested it at our track, and we are really impressed with the technology,” Fisher said.

Safety regulators and insurance industry representatives also urged the remaining car and truck manufacturers to bring automated braking to their vehicles as well.