The autonomous emergency brake (AEB) system was first introduced by Daimler for HGVs in 2006. This system was mainly developed to reduce crashes between HGVs and the rear end of traffic jams. Due to the big mass of the HGV and the large differences in speed, this accident scenario has serious consequences for the vehicles in the traffic jam. EU Regulation No. 347/2012 specifies the technical requirements and test procedures for AEB systems, and the fitting of “Level 1” systems is mandatory for all new vehicles since 01.11.2015. The AEB system first warns the driver of a risk of collision, and if the driver does not react appropriately, the system itself initiates an emergency brake. The minimum system effect requested by the law is a speed reduction of 10km/h. The high end AEB systems in trucks can not only detect moving or stationary vehicles in front of them, but they can also detect pedestrians and cyclists during turning manoeuvres. Since these systems are relatively new, there is not much data available about the benefits of the AEB. Also because of the fast developments of new ADAS it is difficult to determine the effectiveness of current systems and their abilities. However, there have been some in-depth analyses of accidents of HGVs and their avoidability had the HGV would have been equipped with an AEB. These analyses show a great potential of these systems: around 52% of all rear-end collisions could be avoided, and up to 50% of all fatalities in an accident with a HGV on motorways could be adressed. (Author/publisher)
Abstract