NHTSA to decide on automatic braking mandate this year

Automatic braking could be on the verge of joining airbags and stability control on the list of federally-mandated safety measures.
  
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will reach a decision on whether to require automatic braking for all new vehicles by the end of 2013, according to a Detroit News report.

Commonly known as collision-prevention technology, automatic braking systems rely on radar or cameras to detect impending frontal collisions and automatically engage the brakes to prevent or lessen the severity of a crash.

Earlier this month, NHTSA administrator David Strickland told a Senate committee that the agency is prepared to act quickly to mandate new technologies that have the potential to prevent motor vehicle deaths.

“NHTSA believes it has the capabilities — and the responsibilities — to estimate the effectiveness of these crash avoidance systems, without waiting for years or crash data, in order to make regulatory decisions and save more lives. Without a doubt, the potential for emerging technologies to transform cars and improve safety is breathtaking.”

Should the NHTSA decide in favor of the automatic braking mandate, the lengthy regulation drafting process and other red tape will prevent it from actually taking effect until at least mid-2016.