20 automakers will make automatic braking standard equipment on US vehicles. https://t.co/uz5QPgv1AO pic.twitter.com/j76RpIIRvT
— IIHS (@IIHS_autosafety) April 6, 2016
Not so long ago, we shared a Consumer Reports video about AEB -- Automatic Emergency Braking. The technology allows a vehicle to stop automatically to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision.
It's a potentially life-saving technology, but is often an expensive add-on, or not available at all in entry-level models. In the video, Consumer Reports warned that manufacturers who don't make AEB a standard feature will be at a disadvantage in future safety reviews by the trusted publication.
America's leading traffic safety organizations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have also been holding automakers' feet to the fire. IIHS in particular now withholds "Top Safety Pick+" status from vehicles without advanced AEB.
This past March, 20 of the world's leading automakers promised they will make AEB standard on virtually all models by 2022 at the latest. Some, like Volvo, can already say "mission accomplished," and Toyota has promised to get the job done by the end of next year.
Until 2022, buying used is a good way to find those advanced safety options without the extravagant price hike. Visit Route 15 Used Car Center to browse used cars in Wharton, NJ.