Automatic Emergency Brakes To Become Standard In 1M Nissan Cars

Nissan Motor Company will begin making Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) technology a standard safety feature in an estimated one million vehicles available in 2018, as part of an effort to include technology that has been proven to reduce the risk of rear end collisions, as well as accidents involving pedestrian and cyclists. 

According to a press release issued last week by the Japanese auto maker, seven Nissan models for the 2018 year will come equipped with AEB as a standard feature, rather than an upgrade option. This ensures that AEB is included with an estimated 1 million vehicles in the next model year.

AEB technology includes systems designed to prevent collisions in which the driver does not react fast enough or does not apply sufficient braking power to avoid or mitigate a crash. The AEB systems use multiple on-vehicle sensors such as radar, cameras, as well as lasers, to detect potential crash threats. The systems are designed to recognize collision threats from these sensors and engage the vehicle’s brakes if the driver does not react quick enough or apply enough braking power.

Current AEB technology includes two systems; crash imminent braking (CIB) and dynamic brake support (DBS). Crash braking systems are designed to apply the brakes in cases where a rear-end crash is imminent and the driver has not made any braking attempt. The dynamic braking systems are designed to supplement the drivers braking input when the driver is not applying sufficient braking to avoid or mitigate a rear-end collision.

Most auto makers offer AEB as an optional feature, at a premium cost in new vehicles. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has pressed automakers over the last several years to include the proven safety technology as a standard feature, which may greatly reduce the risk of auto accidents nationwide.

In March 2016, the NHTSA released a statement indicating that ten automakers, which sold an estimated 57% of vehicles in the United States in 2014, committed to making AEB a standard feature in vehicles by 2025. Those ten automakers included Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

Since then, Honda, FCA, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, and Subaru have all also committed to implementing the automatic emergency braking technology under the same terms. The commitment from these 20 automakers now includes more than 99% of all U.S. roadway auto manufacturers.

“The big news here is that we’re making AEB standard across all grades of our best-selling models,” said Michael Bunce, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. Bunce announced the increased AEB availability is part of its initial commitment to the NHTSA to standardize the availability of AEB and increase safety assurances to its customers.

Nissan announced it will be offering additional safety features in vehicles including other available safety, security and driving aid technologies such as Intelligent Around View Monitor (I-AVM), Intelligent Distance Control (I-DC), Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention (I-BSI), Intelligent Lane Intervention (I-LI) and Intelligent Driver Alertness (I-DA).

According to the NHTSA, AEB technology in vehicles could reduce insurance injury claims by as much as 35% by compensating for distracted driving mistakes that has been attributed to majority of roadway crashes, potentially reducing the number of roadway injuries each year by up to 12,000.