In order to reduce traffic fatalities, the U.S. requires that new cars sold must be equipped with AEB before September 2029

Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States stated that by September 2029, all brand-new passenger cars and trucks sold in the United States must be equipped with Automatic Emergency Braking Systems (AEB). This timeline has been extended by two years compared to the original plan; whereas some car manufacturers with smaller production volumes may be allowed to reach the standard before September 2030. This action is to ensure that vehicles can brake automatically when the driver does not brake, which aims to reduce the casualties of traffic accidents.

It is reported that the new regulations will require the AEB to detect pedestrians during both day and night. All passenger cars and trucks are capable of stopping and avoiding collisions with the vehicle in front when the speed is within 62 miles per hour. When a collision with the front vehicle is imminent, and the vehicle's speed is within 90 miles per hour, the braking system needs to brake automatically. And when a pedestrian is detected, the system can be activated at speeds below 45 miles per hour.

In 2023, the number of traffic deaths in the United States decreased by 3.6%, which marked the second consecutive year of decrease. However, this number is still much higher than pre-pandemic levels and surpassed the numbers for any year from 2008 until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the number of pedestrian deaths increased by 0.7%, reaching 7,522, the highest figure since 1981.