Following an announcement by twenty automakers, the auto accident lawyers at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca are hailing the initiative as one of the biggest breakthroughs in automotive safety in recent memory.
Recently, twenty major car manufacturers announced a voluntary initiative to equip new vehicles with automatic emergency braking systems by 2022. The systems are specifically designed to prevent auto accidents without input from the driver of the vehicle. Chicago car accident lawyers are offering praise for the initiative, which was signed on to by General Motors, Ford, Fiat, and many other automakers.
Along with auto accident lawyers across the nation, the insurance industry and the US Department of Transportation are pleased with the commitment to have automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems as the standard in the auto industry. The agreement was reached due to the efforts of insurance providers, the Department of Transportation, and automakers working together to craft a feasible path for introducing the safety measure. AEB systems employ a variety of sensors, including radar, to detect impending crashes. If a crash appears to be imminent, the system engages the brakes in an attempt to avoid the collision, or minimize the impact if it cannot be avoided.
Philip Bareck, a Chicago auto accident lawyer, says the move will improve the safety of automobiles and reduce the likelihood of collisions. “More than nine of every ten auto accidents could be avoided if human error were taken out of the equation,” he comments. “According to the information, automatic emergency braking systems may reduce rear-end impacts by as much as 40%. That’s definitely something to celebrate.”
This inclusion of AEB systems is an important step on the journey to self-driving, fully-automated vehicles. With this new technology, though, there could be glitches and other problems that completely change the face of liability for auto accidents. “It’s going to be a whole new landscape for drivers and auto accident lawyers, alike,” says Bareck.