Free Republic

Ten major car manufacturers have committed to making automatic emergency braking a standard feature on all new vehicles. The announcement was made by administrator Mark Rosekind of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at the dedication of a new expanded testing facility at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Ruckersville, Virginia. Roskekind called it "a new era in safety technology." The 10 companies are Audi, BMW, Ford, GM, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Volkswagen, Toyota and Volvo.

<p>Ten automakers have committed to the government and a private safety group that they will include automatic emergency braking in all new cars, a step transportation officials say could significantly reduce traffic deaths and injuries.</p> <p>But safety advocates were swift to criticize the effort as a backroom deal that allows automakers to avoid the possibility that the Transportation Department will impose a legal requirement for inclusion of the braking systems in cars and set binding standards for the technology.</p>