Analytical Study Estimates 43 to 68 Percent Fewer Rear-End Crashes for Vehicles with Automatic Emergency Braking and Forward Collision Warning Systems.

Analytical Study Used Crash and Exposure Data from a Variety of U.S. States to Examine the Effectiveness of Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking Systems on Rear-end Crashes.

Date Posted
06/18/2021
Identifier
2021-B01572
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Real-World Effects of General Motors Forward Collision Alert and Front Automatic Braking Systems.

Summary Information

Forward collision warning systems that alert drivers when a rear-end crash is imminent, and automatic emergency braking systems that apply the brakes when drivers do not intervene, are effective countermeasures to prevent rear-end crashes. This study examined the effectiveness of forward collision alert (a forward collision warning system) and front automatic braking (an automatic emergency braking system) on rear-end striking crashes among vehicles from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Crash and exposure data from a variety of U.S. states were also used in this study to develop a regression model to understand the effectiveness of the technologies in reducing the crashes with various severity levels.

Methodology

The study utilized vehicles from a total of 27 different vehicle makes with model years ranging between 2013 to 2015 that each offered front automatic braking with forward collision alert or forward collision alert alone as optional features. Forward collision alert can use a camera, radar, or both types of sensors to detect leading vehicles. Vehicles that use radar or both camera- and radar-sensing for the forward collision alert system are also equipped with both front automatic braking and adaptive cruise control systems. The presence of any other optional collision avoidance features was controlled for in the analyses. Police-reported crash data from 2012 to 2016 that included Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) were obtained from 23 states for the study. A Poisson regression was used to compare involvement rates in rear-end striking crashes of all severities, with any injuries, and with injuries in other vehicles (third-party injuries) between vehicles with front automatic braking and forward collision alert, with forward collision alert alone, and with the same vehicle models where the optional systems were not purchased, controlling for other factors that may contribute to crash risk.

 

Findings

  • Vehicles equipped with front automatic braking and forward collision alert were found to be involved in 43 percent fewer rear-end striking crashes of all severities, 64 percent fewer rear-end striking crashes with any injuries, and 68 percent fewer rear-end striking crashes with third-party injuries compared with the same vehicles without a front crash prevention system.
  • For vehicles with forward collision alert alone, involvement rates in these three corresponding rear-end crash types were 17 percent, 30 percent, and 32 percent lower, respectively, compared with vehicles without front crash prevention.
  • Involvement rates in the three crash severities examined were lowest among vehicles equipped with both front automatic braking and forward collision alert systems, followed by vehicles with forward collision alert alone, and were highest among vehicles without front crash prevention.
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