The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations define AEBS (also automated emergency braking in some jurisdictions). UN ECE regulation 131 requires a system which can automatically detect a potential forward collision and activate the vehicle braking system to decelerate a vehicle with the purpose of avoiding or mitigating a collision. UN ECE regulation 152 says deceleration can be 5 metres per second squared.
Once an impending collision is detected, these systems provide a warning to the driver. When the collision becomes imminent, they can take action autonomously without any driver input (by braking or steering or both). Collision avoidance by braking is appropriate at low vehicle speeds (e.g. below ), while collision avoidance by steering may be more appropriate at higher vehicle speeds if lanes are clear. Cars with collision avoidance may also be equipped with adaptive cruise control, using the same forward-looking sensors.
AEB differs from forward collision warning: FCW alerts the driver with a warning but does not by itself brake the vehicle.
According to Euro NCAP, AEB has three characteristics: Autonomous: the system acts independently of the driver to avoid or mitigate the accident. Emergency: the system will intervene only in a critical situation. Braking: the system tries to avoid the accident by applying the brakes.
Time-to-collision could be a way to choose which avoidance method (braking or steering) is most appropriate.
A collision avoidance system by steering is a new concept. It is considered by some research projects. Collision avoidance system by steering has some limitations: over-dependence on lane markings, sensor limitations, and interaction between driver and system.
History
Early approaches and forward collision avoidance system
Early warning systems were attempted as early as the late 1950s. An example is Cadillac, which developed a prototype vehicle named the Cadillac Cyclone which used the new radar technology to detect objects in front of the car with the radar sensors mounted inside "nose cones". It was deemed too costly to manufacture.
The first modern forward collision avoidance system was patented in 1990 by William L. Kelley.
The second modern forward collision avoidance system was demonstrated in 1995 by a team of scientists and engineers at Hughes Research Laboratories (HRL) in Malibu, California. The project was funded by Delco Electronics and was led by HRL physicist Ross D. Olney. The technology was marketed as Forewarn. The system was radar-based a technology that was readily available at Hughes Electronics, but not commercially elsewhere. A small custom fabricated radar antenna was developed specifically for this automotive application at 77 GHz.
The first production laser adaptive cruise control on a Toyota vehicle was introduced on the Celsior model (Japan only) in August 1997.
Commercial and regulatory development
In 2008, AEB was introduced in the British market.
Between 2010 and 2014, Euro NCAP rewarded various constructors whose system had AEB features.
In the early-2000s, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studied whether to make frontal collision warning systems and lane departure warning systems mandatory. In 2011, the European Commission investigated the stimulation of "collision mitigation by braking" systems. Mandatory fitting (extra cost option) of Advanced Emergency Braking Systems in commercial vehicles was scheduled to be implemented on 1 November 2013 for new vehicle types and on 1 November 2015 for all new vehicles in the European Union. According to the "impact assessment", this could prevent around 5,000 fatalities and 50,000 serious injuries per year across the EU.
In March 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced the manufacturers of 99% of U.S. automobiles had agreed to include automatic emergency braking systems as standard on virtually all new cars sold in the U.S. by 2022. In Europe, there was a related agreement about an AEBS or AEB in 2012. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has announced that this kind of system will become mandatory for new heavy vehicles starting in 2015. AEBS is regulated by UNECE regulation 131. NHTSA projected that the ensuing accelerated rollout of automatic emergency braking would prevent an estimated 28,000 collisions and 12,000 injuries.
In 2016, 40% of US car model have AEB as an option.
, in the United Kingdom, an estimated 1,586,103 vehicles had AEB. This makes AEB available in 4.3% of the British vehicle fleet.