Following the release of a Euro NCAP survey on the availability of Autonomous Emergency Braking systems in Europe, F1 Driver and eSafetyAware Ambassador, Jérôme d’Ambrosio, was on hand to test-drive the technology himself at a public demonstration after the event in Brussels.
The Belgian driver said of the technology: “Developments in motorsport safety through crash test developments and technology advances have had a positive effect on private car safety. Now that safety systems like AEB are becoming available in most cars, we should make sure that the users learn how to correctly use these systems to make driving safer for all.”
Autonomous Emergency Braking systems can help to avoid crashes or to mitigate their severity by warning the driver and supporting his braking response and/or by applying the brakes independently. The technology generally uses forward-looking radar, lidar and video systems to provide a complete, accurate, real-time image of the road ahead.
Real world performance data suggests AEB systems can reduce accidents by up to 27%. Although the introduction of these active safety technologies has reduced road deaths and injuries, the availability of AEB in Europe is far from standardised. The survey undertaken by Euro NCAP reveals that AEB is completely unavailable on 79% of the car models on sale in Europe and that 66% of manufacturers do not offer an AEB system on any of their new car models. Initial estimates indicate that around 8,000 lives each year could be saved by the technology.
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