AEB – safely the best innovation since the seat belt

Buzzwords at the moment in the autotrade, and top of the savvy motorist’s wishlist, AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) is claimed to be the most significant development in car safety since the invention of the seatbelt. Read on to learn more about this remarkable new technology, its projected impacts, and the new award which every manufacturer now wants to win.

What is AEB?

AEB is a new technology using sensors, radar, lasers or cameras to detect objects ahead of the vehicle to help prevent collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians or hazards. It’s designed to alert the driver to an impending crash, and if required, to apply the brakes autonomously to bring the vehicle to a stop before impact.

Safety first and foremost

With the potential to save 1,100 lives and 122,860 casualties over the next ten years, according to Thatcham Research, this technology is not only here to stay, it could revolutionise motoring. In fact, Thatcham recommend that consumers and fleet operators should only consider new cars fitted with AEB as standard – it really is a game-changer.

How does it work?

1. Detectors monitor the road ahead
2. Distance to object is constantly calculated
3. If the time-to-object falls below safe limits…
4. …Audio/visual warnings try to alert the driver
5. If warnings go unheeded, the vehicle will brake itself in order to stop before collision or minimise impact, depending on speed and conditions.

The different systems

There are a number of variants of the system currently in place, based on the speed of travel with different marques & models offering just one, or a combination of them:

• Low Speed City – the system works at lower speeds, generally 20mph or less, to avoid or mitigate accidents such as one car running into the back of another in typical urban driving. Over three quarters of collisions occur in this speed range, with whiplash a common result. Sensitive to other vehicles’ reflectivity, pedestrians or other objects are unlikely to be detected.
• Advanced Higher Speed System – using radar to scan further ahead enables the system to work at higher speeds and audio/visual warning systems may also be integrated.
• Pedestrian Detection – aided by a camera, these systems can detect pedestrians and cyclists.

For a full list of which models carry which systems, see here.

WhatCar?’s new Safety Award

New for 2015, WhatCar? introduced the ‘Safety’ category to their much-respected Car Of The Year awards to reward manufacturers for their efforts in helping improve road safety. It’s also a reflection on how many of us are including safety features as a key factor when choosing a new vehicle.

WhatCar? appointed Thatcham Research to help with the judging. Experts at evaluating vehicles for safety, security and crash repairability, Thatcham are the UK’s only accredited Euro NCAP crash test centre.

They based their rankings on three main categories:
• Protection: All must have a 5-star Euro NCAP rating;
• Technology: AEB should be standard fit on at least one trim level across the range, and the finer points of the car’s features and innovations were assessed;
• Availability: Safety shouldn’t come at a premium, and a weighting was applied to reward good value for money.

The Safety Award has fast become the ‘one to win’ – so how did the contenders fare in the 2016 line-up…

The 2016 Winners

1st place: Volvo XC90
2nd place: Honda Jazz
3rd place: Toyota Avensis

Our Pick

From a business/fleet perspective, this year’s Safety Award winners include a clear winner for us here at WVL: the fantastic Toyota Avensis. Packed with the very latest safety innovations – including AEB across the range and lane departure warning, it received high praise by WhatCar? for its very high level of protection at reasonable price. This fantastic vehicle is our first choice for the business motorist.

 
Plus, scoring a full 5 stars in the EuroNCAP ratings rivalling the Jaguar XF and EX, the Avensis is a real all-rounder in performance, style, value for money and safety.
 

“People who regularly drive long distances as part of their work are exposed a greater risk of being involved in an accident. Therefore, those who are responsible for choosing company or fleet cars need to ensure that, as well as being comfortable, economical and reliable, the cars being driven by their employees also provide high levels of safety.”

Try for yourself

WVL have Saloon and Estate Business Editions in stock now – perfect for your fleet – call 01753 851561 to book your test drive in one of the safest vehicles on the road!