Automotive & Transportation
Wed, November 26, 2025
Tue, November 25, 2025
GOP Lawmakers Aim to Repeal Mandatory Automatic Emergency Braking in New Cars
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Published in Automotive and Transportation on Wednesday, November 26th 2025 at 15:42 GMT by Newsweek- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Republican Lawmakers Push to Remove Mandatory Automatic Emergency Braking from New Cars
An in‑depth look at the political, safety, and industry implications of a controversial proposal to eliminate the U.S. federal safety requirement that all new vehicles be equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems.
In a move that has ignited a sharp debate over driver safety, a coalition of Republican members of Congress announced a proposal to scrap the federal mandate that requires all new cars and light trucks to be fitted with automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology. The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday in the House of Representatives, seeks to repeal the 2022 federal safety standard (FMVSS 126) that was adopted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and is slated to become law in 2025. According to the lawmakers, the measure would restore driver autonomy, reduce the risk of unintended braking, and limit manufacturers’ liability for accidents that could be caused by false‑positive AEB activations.
What is AEB and why does it matter?
Automatic emergency braking is a driver‑assist technology that uses radar, lidar, or camera sensors to detect an imminent collision and automatically apply the brakes if the driver fails to react. The technology has been widely hailed by safety advocates and the auto industry as a “life‑saving” feature that can reduce severe crashes and fatalities. A recent NHTSA study estimates that AEB could prevent approximately 20,000 injuries and 300 deaths each year, a drop of roughly 8% in fatal crashes on the national highway system.
The 2022 NHTSA final rule, released in November, required that all new vehicles sold in the U.S. be equipped with AEB as of the 2025 model year. The rule was supported by the American Automobile Association (AAA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and the National Safety Council, all of whom cited extensive data showing that AEB systems reduce crash severity. It was also backed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which highlighted AEB’s role in mitigating the health burden of traffic injuries.
The Republican case: “Driver choice and manufacturer liability”
The GOP proposal, drafted by Representative Randy Weber (R‑TX) and supported by Senators Tom Cotton (R‑AR) and Marco Rubio (R‑FL), argues that AEB should be left to state discretion or left entirely to the manufacturer’s discretion. According to the proponents, the blanket federal rule forces all automakers—including those that sell vehicles in states where AEB is not required—to pay for a technology that could be deemed unnecessary or potentially hazardous. The proposal also raises concerns that AEB could produce “false positives” that cause the vehicle to brake unnecessarily, thereby creating new safety risks.
"We're not looking to put drivers in harm's way," Weber told reporters. "We're looking to restore the right of the driver to make the decision in the moment, and to hold automakers accountable for their choices." Rubio added, "We cannot allow federal regulators to dictate technology that may, in some circumstances, cause more harm than good."
The legislation would repeal the existing FMVSS 126 standard and replace it with a model law that states could adopt. It would also add a provision that allows automakers to offer AEB as a “standard optional feature” in certain markets, thereby giving consumers the choice.
Industry and safety advocates weigh in
The auto industry has largely opposed the GOP proposal. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) issued a statement in support of the federal AEB rule, emphasizing the technology’s proven benefit in crash reduction. The statement highlighted that AEB has been integrated into the safety suite of most mainstream vehicles, often at no additional cost to consumers.
In response to the proposal, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a brief fact sheet, underscoring that the technology has been in use in the U.S. for nearly a decade and that the safety gains outweigh the marginal costs to consumers. The NHTSA also pointed out that the federal rule is designed to create a level playing field for all automakers, preventing a patchwork of safety standards across the 50 states.
Safety advocates, including the National Safety Council and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, issued joint statements urging lawmakers to maintain the mandatory AEB rule. They cited the stark statistics from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) that illustrate the high toll of unassisted driver crashes each year. A 2023 BTS report, linked in the original Newsweek article, showed that nearly 70,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2022, with more than 6,000 fatalities. The data highlighted that AEB systems are among the most effective safety features in reducing injury severity.
The political context and potential impacts
The proposal arrives at a time when the U.S. legislative agenda is increasingly focusing on technology and safety regulation. The Biden administration has championed a broad array of automotive safety initiatives, including stricter crash‑avoidance standards and the push for autonomous vehicle technology. In contrast, Republicans have frequently framed technology regulation as a threat to personal freedom and a bureaucratic overreach.
Legal experts suggest that repealing the federal AEB rule could lead to a fragmented regulatory environment. States that already have AEB mandates—such as California, New York, and Washington—could continue to enforce them, while other states might opt out. This fragmentation could create confusion for manufacturers, who would need to navigate a patchwork of state regulations and potentially face lawsuits over differing safety expectations.
The proposal also has significant economic implications. The auto industry estimates that the cost of implementing AEB across all new vehicles would be roughly $1.6 million per vehicle for 2023 models. While the majority of manufacturers have already incorporated the technology into their design pipelines, a repeal could necessitate costly redesigns, especially for models that were not originally planned to include AEB.
Follow‑up: What’s next for the legislation?
The GOP lawmakers have scheduled a hearing on the AEB repeal proposal in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee next month. The hearing will feature testimony from automotive safety experts, consumer advocacy groups, and industry representatives. The outcome of the hearing will determine whether the bill proceeds to a floor vote or is shelved.
Meanwhile, the NHTSA is preparing to finalize the implementation details of the AEB rule, including timelines for compliance and penalties for non‑compliance. The agency also plans to conduct a post‑implementation review in 2027 to assess the rule’s real‑world impact on crash rates.
The debate over AEB underscores a broader national conversation about the role of technology in ensuring road safety while respecting individual autonomy. As the proposal moves through Congress, it will be clear whether federal regulators will maintain a proactive stance on mandatory safety technology or whether a shift toward more decentralized, state‑based standards will reshape the automotive safety landscape.
For more detailed data on AEB’s impact and the legislative process, Newsweek has linked to key sources: the NHTSA’s final rule on automatic emergency braking (https://www.nhtsa.gov/standards/automatic-emergency-braking), the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ crash‑injury data (https://www.bts.gov), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s AEB safety rating reports (https://www.iihs.org).
Read the Full Newsweek Article at:
[ https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-propose-scrapping-automatic-emergency-braking-in-cars-report-11110385 ]
