From Our President: A Lifesaving Victory

Since our founding, CR has sought to improve the level of safety in our cars, including working to make features like seat belts and backup cameras standard.

We’ve built on this legacy by pushing the marketplace toward automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, because pedestrian deaths have shot up in recent years, topping 7,500 in 2022. In fact, since 2020, CR has required all cars we’ve chosen as our Top Picks to have this technology. (See our list in “The Safest Cars You Can Buy Right Now.”)

We are also fighting for more advanced AEB systems that can detect pedestrians at night. Last year, more than 24,000 consumers joined us in calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to set strong federal AEB standards. In a victory for consumers, NHTSA has announced that, starting in 2029, all new cars must have this lifesaving feature. It’s an enormous win that’s expected to save hundreds of lives and prevent tens of thousands of injuries each year.

Lobbyists representing automakers are pushing back, claiming that complying with this new rule is “practically impossible.” But at least one inexpensive model on the market already meets it, according to NHTSA: the 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. CR will fight all attempts to weaken the new standard or put off meeting it by 2029. Your safety is our priority. This technology belongs in every new car.