In a move that will push America even closer to fully-automated vehicles, ten automakers will make emergency braking standard on their U.S. models, according to Reuters. Experts hope this will reduce the incidence of rear-end collisions, and a recent report indicates it can reduce injury by 35 percent.
These companies account for well over half of the cars sold in the United States. The list includes BMW, Volvo, Ford, GM, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Audi, and their parent company Volkswagen. The design process alone could take years, but Toyota, at least, plans to offer the feature by 2017.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is overseeing the push for automatic braking and has indicated that more automakers are thinking of joining. In addition, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has pushed manufacturers to add this feature to earn top safety ratings on their new models.
[via Reuters]
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