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According to the agency, in 2014, only 4 out of 684 passenger vehicles included a complete forward collision avoidance system as a standard feature. Usually, when manufacturers offer these systems as an add-on option, they are sold with other nonsafety features, which increases the price. The report outlines the safety benefits of these systems and urges that they are part of the standard package. “You don’t pay extra for your seat belt,” said NTSB Chair Christopher Hart. “And you shouldn’t have to pay extra for technology that can help prevent a collision altogether.”
In
addition to standardizing the collision systems, NTSB recommends manufacturers should
begin with adding collision warning systems then add autonomous emergency
braking once National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)
finishes standards for such systems. NTSB also recommends that NHTSA develop
standards to rate the performance of each vehicle’s collision avoidance system
and include the results in an expanded NCAP 5-star safety rating scale.