The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that by September 2029, almost all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. must be equipped with automatic emergency braking systems.
What Happened: The NHTSA stated that the new rule will save at least 360 lives and prevent a minimum of 24,000 injuries annually, Reuters reported on Tuesday. This decision follows a rise in traffic deaths after the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Congress directed the NHTSA in the 2021 infrastructure law to establish minimum performance standards for these systems. The systems use sensors like cameras and radar to detect imminent collisions and automatically apply brakes if the driver fails to do so.