A new regulation is being pushed forward by federal agencies, which mandates the installation of automatic emergency braking systems on heavy trucks.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) have collaborated on a proposal for a joint rule, which they have submitted to the White House for consideration. The proposed rule pertains to automatic emergency braking systems for heavy trucks.
The proposed rule aims to establish equipment performance standards for automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems on heavy trucks, and make them mandatory. The rule would also include maintenance requirements for AEB systems and testing procedures to measure their performance, in compliance with NHTSA regulations.
Before being published in the Federal Register for public review and comment, the proposed rule would need to be approved by the White House. The rule was prompted by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which mandated federal agencies to initiate the rulemaking process for requiring automatic emergency braking (AEB) on commercial vehicles.
The Truck Safety Coalition (TSC) has been advocating for the implementation of AEB requirements for heavy duty trucks, while the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) – a trucking trade group – has expressed concerns regarding the practicality of the technology in real-world situations.
In response to a 2021 bill requiring advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including AEB, on all new motor vehicles, OOIDA said that “members have routinely shared practical concerns with current AEB technology, including difficulty controlling trucks in inclement weather when systems are activated, unwarranted activations, and highly distracting warnings and false alarms.“
