Rules and regulations

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota and nearly all leading automakers, wrote to NHTSA and the leadership of congressional transportation committees informing them that the group filed a petition for the automatic emergency braking rule to be reconsidered.

The group argues that the regulation, which was adopted in April and would require all cars and trucks to be able to stop and avoid hitting vehicles in front of them while moving at speeds of up to 62 mph, is "practically impossible with available technology."

The NHTSA rule came in response to direction by Congress, which included a provision in the 2021 infrastructure law that directed the agency to develop a regulation establishing minimum performance standards for automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. AEB uses sensors like cameras and radar to detect when a vehicle is close to crashing and automatically applies the brakes if the driver hasn't done so.

We purchased a new Subaru "Forrester" in March and it has that, or a very similar system. The second time it slammed the brakes on when I was following a car that was turning either direction as we were going forward, I found out how to deselect, or defeat it. That second time it threw my wife against the seat belt straps hard and she actually lost the notebook being written in. The Forrester seen the distance closing between us and did not take into account both vehicles were moving; only that the distance was closing. This same system is very nice on the interstate as it will allow distance and vary the traveled speed of the cruise control to keep distance from the vehicle in front of you. That distance is adjustable. That part I really like as if you are running 70mph and coming up on a car that is doing 65mph and you don't change lanes to pass, it will slow you to maintain the preset distance. If you have been slowed, change lanes to pass the cruise will accelerate you back to the preset speed. That part works slick. In town, or heavy traffic it is terrible. I have found aftermarket kits that will default this system to "off" and can manually be switched "on" at driver's selection. The same thing with that automatic engine shutdown system. It too will be defaulted to "off" once the warranty has expired. As of now, I start the car, and select both of the systems "off" now.

Overall, I am not a fan of the automatic braking and all the safety technology being incorporated into automobiles.  I've forgotten a lot over the years, but how to drive is not one of them.

tadams(OH) wrote: ...Instead of a knob to control the fan motor you have buttons to push and you have to look to see that you get the right button and take your eyes off the road, then there is the screen that you have to look at to see what is going on. too many things to draw your atenttion off the road

This is the absolute truth.

Modern vehicles have an increasingly high Distraction Index... not only are the controls 'buried' in menus, there's constant alarms, warnings, bells, etc., going off, demanding your attention to acknowledge, which naturally takes your eyes, and mind... off the road.

The advancements in 'automatic braking', and 'hands free steering'... are even worse- they invite, and even reward complacency and foolishness.

The dashboards of modern vehicles are loaded with large illuminated surfaces, and while you may not have recognized it, you will, now that I've told you that a large illuminated surface, even if the screen is mostly dark, acts significantly upon your peripheral vision, such that it will eliminate your night vision... and if you go into the menus for all these screens, and then turn them 'off', you'll notice that while the screen is 'black'... it is still emitting light, and that light is in the blue spectra, which the rods in your eyes detect as, and respond to, as a high-intensity source... so if you FEEL like the years have taken a toll on your night vision, try this-  Throw a thick bath towel over your dashboard, cover up all the illuminated stuff, and take a drive on a dark night... after you've driven for a half hour, lift the towel off, and see how quickly your night-vision vanishes.... particularly, your peripheral and depth-of-field.

Eventually, between collison avoidance, auto-braking, ABS, automatic parking, and all these other things, there will come a time when you're driving, and you'll recognize a situation, but when you attempt to take action to avoid it, the vehicle's system will take away control to do IT's programmed routine, which will NOT be the appropriate solution...

And when your car winds up hitting and killing that 6-year-old girl, you will be in a courtroom, as defendant in a wrongful death suit.  When that happens, you'll have only one argument-  The VEHICLE TOOK CONTROL FROM YOU...  and at that point, it became the MANUFACTURER who was at fault.  In my opinion, car manufacturers who equip their vehicles with these systems, are ultimately liable, and should be held as such, for ANY incident where the SYSTEM activates, and takes control from the DRIVER.

   Shortly after I got my license for driving large trucks the above mentioned "121 Standard" was mandated and even when they were new had issues. From the experiences of that time I've never trusted any computer controlled anything in a vehicle. In my later years of professional driving I was exposed to the "Radar Braking" in large trucks and became aware that It was causing more accidents that it was preventing. 

  The whole point to this is: Anyone incapable of driving a vehicle safely that needs to have these computer controlled assists, doesn't deserve to have a drivers license.  

I love the 'new' industry of stealing cars. NOBODY cares, nobody.

Mfrs get new sales, cops are employed, pollys whine all day, ins cos jack up rates, repair shops turning away business ! EVERYONE is making big bucks, cept the car owner....

For $22, I can prevent any new 'push button' vehicle from being driven away . Actually probably ANY vehicle that's got fuel injection.

it works and cannot be 'hacked'.