NTSB wants crash avoidance technology in all cars
by Joan Lowy, The Associated Press
A new report suggests 80 per cent of forward-collision deaths and injuries could be prevented or lessened by the technology
WASHINGTON—U.S. government safety officials are calling on automakers to make systems that automatically brake or warn drivers to avoid crashes standard equipment on new cars.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in report released June 8 that 80 per cent of about 1,700 forward-collision deaths and a half million injuries a year could be prevented or lessened by the technology.
The NTSB report said the board has made 12 recommendations over the past 20 years aimed at encouraging adoption of forward collision avoidance systems, but progress has been “very limited.” Only four out of 684 passenger vehicle models in 2014 included a complete collision avoidance system as a standard feature.
When the systems are offered as options, they are often bundled with other features not related to safety.
