All of our content is approved by our in-house advisory board of experts
Did you know that these modern safety features could reduce your car insurance premium? It's worth finding out more...
- Research shows 75% of all collisions occur at speeds less than 25mph in urban environments
- AEB could save an estimated 1,100 lives in the UK over the next ten years
- Some cars with standard fit AEB receive a lower car insurance group
From ADAS to AEB, the world of modern safety features (and their acronyms) can be utterly confusing. So, here's an A to Z of AEB to get you started...
What is Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)?
Autonomous emergency braking is the most significant advancement in safety since the seat belt, according to Thatcham. AEB is a safety technology that will automatically brake the car in the event of an impending forward collision if the driver fails to respond to changing conditions. Some of these systems alert the driver to take action to avoid the crash. If the driver’s response is not sufficient to avoid the crash, the AEB system will automatically apply the brakes.
How does AEB Work?
AEB systems use a range of sensors on your vehicle, either RADAR behind the bumper or grille, cameras mounted behind the windscreen or a combination of the two. The sensors scan the road ahead for any changes in the conditions, such as stationary or moving objects. If an obstruction is detected and you don’t change your course, the system will intervene and brake.
What’s the best system?
At the moment, AEB can’t be fitted after you’ve purchased a car. It’s important to find out which system is best for you and whether it’s available as standard or you can order it as an option. If the car you’re thinking of buying offers AEB as an option, it’s usually part of a safety pack that comes with other ADAS features.
What about testing?
Euro NCAP are testing AEB systems as part of new safety ratings. NCAP now gives two safety ratings for vehicles that have optional safety equipment. This means you can see the difference in the performance of a car with or without AEB. It’s important to remember that although these systems are tested in an environment as close to the real world as possible, there will always be factors that affect the performance of AEB.
How do I ensure my AEB system is well maintained?
Because AEB and ADAS systems rely on a combination of cameras and sensors, if one gets knocked out of place it could impact how well your system functions. It could be the difference between your cars system being able to avoid an accident or not. It's also important to keep your washer fluid topped up so you can clear your windscreen and make sure the camera has a clear view of the road. And ensure you keep the front grille and parking sensors clear of dirt and debris to make sure all the RADAR systems can function properly.
It’s important to always have your vehicle recalibrated following a windscreen replacement or damage repair. LV= covers recalibration as standard on our comprehensive policy.
If you need to have your windscreen replaced, please call 0330 678 5590 and our recommended windscreen provider can take care of recalibration following a glass replacement.
Does my car have AEB?
If you're not sure whether your car is equipped with AEB, check out some of the below pages to see for yourself.
This article contains links to other sites, and we're not responsible for the contents of any of these websites.