Advanced Emergency braking system (AEBS)

This is forecast to offer the greatest safety benefit to cost.

Its basis is the ACC that monitors distance and adjusts speed accordingly. AEBS will trigger full on braking when it calculates there is an acute risk of a rear end collision and the driver has failed to react. It initially issues a warning if the gap between vehicles is shrinking too quickly. If the drivers reaction is too late it brakes at 30%, and continues to full effort if the driver still does nothing. The system combines radar to measure relative speed with video image to determine what lies ahead so that there are no false alarms.

Most of the cost of AEBS is accounted for in the ACC system, and the upgrade is £384 from "proximity control" to "active brake assist". The Commission has set 1 November 2013 for which AEBS becomes mandatory for new type trucks over 3.5 tonnes and passenger vehicles with more than nine seats. The date for new registrations is 1 November 2015. There are likely to be exemptions for slow moving vehicles. AEBS should not be confused with "brake assist" which is a safety system already available on some trucks and many cars.