WASHINGTON — State law enforcement officials and brake manufacturers want more interaction between the trucking industry and federal regulators before the government considers public comments on a rule to mandate automatic emergency braking (AEB) on heavy trucks.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), whose members include state police and highway patrols, and the Commercial Vehicle Brake Manufacturers Council (CVBMC), a group under CVSA that represents OEMs, contend that the controversial AEB rule, proposed jointly by the National Highway Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, would benefit from a higher level of engagement.
“CVSA and CVBMC encourage the agencies to consider holding a [U.S. Department of Transportation]-led stakeholder listening session, if possible, to allow industry an additional opportunity to provide direct feedback to the agencies, similar to the listening sessions FMCSA held related to electronic logging devices and the industry forum NHTSA held while developing the antilock brake system requirements,” CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney wrote to DOT earlier this month.
At the same time, Mooney asked the agencies to extend the comment period beyond Sept. 5, which is the current 60-day deadline but which is “not adequate time to prepare and approve comments on such a complicated and important issue,” he asserted.
“CVSA and CVBMC are working to develop comments in response to the proposal and would like the opportunity to collaborate with other entities that will be commenting, to ensure all issues and concerns are addressed and our organization can provide NHTSA and FMCSA with comments that will contribute to a comprehensive, well informed, science and data-based [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking].”
The proposed rule adopts new standards requiring AEB systems on trucks as well as requiring an electronic stability control system that works with the AEB to sense when a crash is imminent. It also requires FMCSA to mandate that drivers activate AEBs whenever their truck is operating.
The mandate would go into effect for most new Class 7 and 8 trucks (those with a weight rating of over 26,000 pounds) within three years of a final rule, with most new Class 3-6 trucks (weighing over 10,000 pounds) meeting the requirements within four years.
While regulators estimate that requiring AEBs on trucks would generate between $1.8 billion and $2.6 billion in safety and other benefits, the majority of the hundreds of comments filed on the rule so far oppose it.
“AEBs are not effective enough to put into use on the roads, certainly not to mandate,” stated one commenter.
“They engage on ‘false positives’ too often and we need to not have anything that causes big rigs to ‘throw on the brakes’ without warning or cause. The actual conditions on the road (downhill, slick, curvy, heavy traffic, low speed) all create different and dynamically changing conditions. Experienced truckers can utilize technology when available but should not be at the mercy of the sensors and programming to crash/not crash.”
Such apprehension is why CVSA and CVBMC are planning an “industry discussion” on the proposal later this month. Subject matter experts, brake manufacturers, motor carriers and commercial motor vehicle manufacturers “will be invited to share their thoughts on the proposal, ask questions of one another and have an open dialogue on the requirements,” Mooney noted.
“We invite representatives from NHTSA and FMCSA to attend the meeting, as it will be an excellent opportunity for your agencies to listen to the concerns and thoughts of industry and engage in information gathering.”
Kevin Northrup
Been driving for 23 years. These systems brake without notice. Which cause drivers to react when they do. These systems are not aware of driving conditions on or around the unit on the road. They react to sensors and preset limits to avoid collisions with obstacles. Most of the time they react is do to industry set limits. This is a problem for trucking. So are drivers who do not watch the road yet are distracted from their responsibilities. My experience with this has been more of a newsence. Braking when it shouldn’t. Slowing the truck and holding up traffic. Making the unit unsafe braking in winter conditions and wet roads. Causing it to tail or slide. Which can jacknife the unit or lose control of it. Traffic braking do to cars cutting in traffic in front of the unit. As well as passing or changing lane in heavy traffic. Tankers, livestock or any motion load is hard to control. It causes the driver many aggravated movements added to his abilities. Granted they may save a life from human error. But as a driver they have brought more problems then solutions. Never did matter the setting in the trucks. Like most of the safty warnings added. You made drivers responsible the minute they get behind the wheel. Yet those that add this safty may of never drove a truck, or their experience was limited. But it is the same for young drivers or wrong tought old drivers. In all situations driver right or wrong it falls on the one behind the wheels. But I see more human errors on the road and lack of respect for the bullets your behind driving.
Kevin Coble
Of course, no mention of drivers attending that meeting. They don’t want to hear the truth, they just want people that will agree with them. I’ve driven two trucks equipped with that crap, I will admit the last one was better, but it still ghosted on a car 50 yards up an off ramp. The entire idea wasn’t smart to begin with, and mandating it is a ridiculous mistake.
Lance Akers
I can tell you from experience that this system is Not safe at all and is very Dangerous. It will slam on the brakes with nobody even in front of you. I refuse to drive a truck with this Crap installed on it Period
Jack Carroll
I am against aeb as we purchased a truck with this feature and had it deleted because it would activate when not needed,prime example was when I was traveling on a road I’ve been on many times and when I went into a curve as I have many times the truck braked pushing it harder to over turn, to say the least I was not happy, hauling livestock or tanker trucks with this I recommend you delete this,as it can cause an accident, straight line braking would be safe but not while turning
Glen handerk
I had a 2022 petebilt owned by andrews logistics #2682 refused to drive it locked up brakes 2 times with nothing arround,had it to various shops till I refused to drive then went to a dealership for 1 month,peterbilt faut with bedix to get answers could not verify repairs,they said run it see what happens have left this company do to this insanity.
Christopher Walters
If you want to kick more people out of this profession keep regulating it and endangering its drivers. Ask yourself This question! Would you be responsible for a vehicle if I was allowed to slam on the brakes at any given time as I see fit and on occasion maybe I think I see something that isn’t there and hit the brakes. That is what we are dealing with out here not to mention mishaps during adverse weather conditions. I have 35 years of driving experience and I’m telling you that this will hurt people! I’m urging everyone I talk to that if an accident happens due to this or other controlling devices to sue the manufacturer, the maker of the truck that allowed this device, The company that bought the truck and any sub manufacturer of that device..and any politicians that were involved in pushing this technology. This is a huge mistake
Michael lewis
AEB’s are not safe in the aspect of throwing the false codes. As a driver of 24+ years I’ve driven a truck with the aeb system and been thru multiple experiences and have almost had several accidents due to this. A computer and sensor has no common sense and can not decipher the road conditions such as wet or icy roads and in those conditions you don’t want the truck just locking the brakes down. Let’s put aeb systems on cars and see how the people that want to make this a requirement on trucks like it when their car does this false activation and have an accident or near accident situation.
Stephen webster
Auto braking systems have caused to many drivers to get hurt. We need better training of the mechanic that maintained the systems first.