Lexus Bumps Up Automatic Braking Goal
If we’re being honest, everyone has had at least one “oh crud” moment while driving when they notice that traffic ahead of them is stopped and their car is still going full-speed. Many of us slam on the brakes, but it’s the luck of the draw if you’ve caught the error soon enough to avoid an accident. As companies creating autonomous driving technology will tell anyone with an ear, human error makes driving even the safest cars a dangerous endeavor. That’s why several automakers, including luxury carmaker Lexus and its parent company Toyota, are committed to making automatic braking systems standard in their vehicles.
Many new cars on the market today have an optional automatic braking system, but it’s an expensive add-on or it is only available on the higher trim levels. When the NHTSA and IIHS revealed the list of companies who have agreed to make automatic emergency braking (or AEB) standard by 2022, 20 automakers had signed up.
The commitment to 2022 wasn’t good enough for Lexus, though. Lexus and Toyota have raised the bar and have committed to making the advanced safety technology standard in their models by 2017. You might think that there are about three quarters left in 2016 for the company to accomplish their goal, but you would be incorrect. Models for the 2017 model year could begin rolling out as soon as this summer for Toyota and Lexus, which means they might have a mere handful of months to make the transition in pricing and manufacturing happen.
As part of AEB becoming standard, it will be added to the Toyota safety package on all of their vehicles, which comes in at 25 models with Lexus and Toyota combined.
News Source: AutoBlog
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.