Rear Automatic Emergency Braking Helps Save Bucks —IIHS

Safety systems and driver assistance technologies are inarguably among the best innovations for cars. Not only do they make driving seamless and more convenient, they also prevent crashes and resulting injuries from accidents. In the long run, they can help car owners save money.

One of the most popular emergency systems being added to vehicles these days is the frontal automatic emergency braking. A lot of automakers have found it to be so efficient it’s becoming more common among models across brands. But, as it turns out, it’s rear-facing version is equally effective.

In a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the agency discovered rear automatic emergency braking can help drivers a great deal. More than saving the lives of passengers and pedestrians, it also helps car owners save on expenses.

Based on the data gathered by the IIHS, crashes also occur when drivers are backing up. When this happens, speeds are usually much lower than frontal collisions, meaning there is little to no chance for injuries. However, it can still result in significant damage to the vehicle, one that can be costly to repair.

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), rear automatic emergency braking is considered the most effective technology, especially when taking into account the reduction in the cost of insurance claims.

“We haven’t seen that kind of reduction in claims for vehicle and other property damage from any other advanced driver assistance system,” Matt Moore, HLDI senior vice president, said in a statement.

Moreover, HLDI found out that a huge number of vehicle insurance claims is related to low-speed backing crashes. Claims of this kind usually amount to $2,000 and they represent around 17% of all insurance claims, totaling $8 billion from 2010-2017.

Both IIHS and HLDI also found problems with other safety systems. Passive rear collision-avoidance systems, backup cameras, and ultrasonic parking sensors were said to be much less effective in preventing low-speed rear collisions.

Rear collision-avoidance systems have been required by law in all new cars since 2018, and they are much common than the more effective automatic emergency braking.