The Biden administration is aiming to include automatic emergency braking technology into all new vehicles and trucks by 2029 as part of their pedestrian-collision avoidance systems.

The new requirement stipulates that all vehicles must be capable of detecting pedestrians in the dark and must not collide with other vehicles traveling at speeds up to 62 mph, as NBC News reported. Additionally, when a pedestrian is identified, they will be required to brake at speeds of up to 45 mph.

New Requirement to Reduce Rising Pedestrian Deaths

Pedestrian fatalities have been on the increase since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He said that the mandate is an effort to curb that pattern.

The Transportation Department forecasts the regulation will save 24,000 injuries and 360 deaths annually.

More than 7,500 pedestrians were killed by automobiles in 2022, the highest number since 1981. The number of fatalities has almost doubled in the last decade, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Even if it started to go down in the first half of 2023, the pedestrian mortality rate is still greater than pre-pandemic levels at 2.2 per billion car miles driven.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, there has been an uptick in road fatalities due to an increase in dangerous driving habits, including speeding, and a decrease in the use of public transportation. Moreover, newer and safer cars with accident-prevention systems missed sales because of the pandemic.

Buttigieg predicted that the planned order would increase the price of a new car by $82, a sum that, in his view, is more than justified by the lives that will be saved.

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Car Security Innovations Met With Criticism

According to survey data from consumer intelligence company JD Power, people have shown some resistance towards the suggested car safety tech.

Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at JD Power, said that drivers have complained about it turning on when it should not. They also notice that it is too sensitive or does not respond as expected.

Rizk said, "The perception is they're losing control," alluding to the technical advancements included in modern passenger cars.

The technology is still being fine-tuned, which Buttigieg said is a reason why the rule will not be enforced until the end of 2029.

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