SELF-BRAKING CAR SYSTEMS SHOULD BE STANDARD

Motoring clubs are calling on all car companies to make safety a top priority by making Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems a standard in all vehicles. AEB systems are there to help drivers avoid collisions by taking the necessary braking action. This technology uses sensors to detect the potential collision before applying the brakes. 

This system has the potential to avoid accidents ranging from low-speed bumps to fatal crashes and, according to the RACV, should be standard in all new cars. 

According to Victoria's largest motoring club, this technology has the potential to prevent 20-40% of collisions.

Currently, this technology is standard only on luxury cars and increasing numbers of regular vehicles. 

Mazda is the only mainstream brand to feature AEB as a standard on all of its passenger cars and SUVs, while Subaru offers it on a wide range of models (including the family-orientated Liberty Sadan). 

Many other marques are choosing to make it an optional extra, and some are restricting AEB to only the most expensive models in a given range. 

ANCAP actually criticised Honda for only making self-braking available in the most expensive versions of the Civic - as it is not even an option on entry and mid-grade models.

According to Michael Case, RACV manager of vehicle engineering, "we urge vehicle manufacturers to include the technology as standard on all models as AEB is very effective in situations where there is poor visibility, a driver is distracted or has limited time to react to things like a sudden braking of a car in front, or a child running into the road after a ball".

"AEB can make all the difference".