Truck drivers have two months to provide feedback on a proposal that would mandate automatic emergency braking systems.
On July 6, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a joint proposal that would require AEB systems and electronic stability control systems on new vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 pounds. The proposed standard would require the technology to work at speeds ranging between 6-50 mph.
The proposal calls for all Class 7 and 8 vehicles – those weighing more than 26,000 pounds – to be required to meet the automatic emergency braking standards three years after the rule takes effect. All Class 3-6 vehicles – those weighing 10,001-26,000 pounds – would be required to meet the automatic emergency braking and electronic stability control requirements in four years. Small-volume manufacturers would have until five years after the final rule took effect. The proposal would not require existing heavy vehicles to be retrofitted with automatic emergency vehicle technology.
The public has through Sept. 5 to comment on the proposed mandate.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is encouraging its more than 150,000 members to file comments and let regulators know about their experiences with the technology.
“OOIDA has heard from drivers that AEBs routinely produce false activations and do not operate consistently in all types of road conditions,” the Association wrote.
According to the agencies, the proposal would prevent 19,118 crashes, 155 fatalities and 8,814 injuries annually.
NHTSA also announced in May a proposal that would require AEBs on passenger cars and light trucks within three years of a final rule being published.
Regarding the heavy truck proposal, OOIDA points to reports from drivers about false activation, problems with inclement weather and other real-world concerns.
NHTSA recently opened an investigation into false automatic braking on certain Freightliner and Western Star trucks.
There were 18 complaints of false automatic emergency braking activation “without an actual roadway obstacle.” In some instances, the false activation brought the truck to a complete stop in the travel lane. NHTSA did not report any crashes caused by the false braking.
The investigation, which could affect as many as 250,000 trucks, aims to determine if the alleged defect creates an unreasonable safety risk.
To submit a comment, go to regulations.gov by Sept. 5 and enter Docket Nos. FMCSA-2022-0171 or NHTSA-2023-0023. There is no need to file comments to both agencies. You also can go to FightingforTruckers.com, where OOIDA has made it easy for truck drivers to provide feedback to the agencies. LL
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