back to article Euro NCAP to mandate auto-braking in new-car test

Euro NCAP, the European car safety organisation, is to insist that, from 2014 onwards, all vehicles seeking its approval must be able to hit the anchors without driver intervention. From that date, so-called Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) technology will be required by any car seeking a New Car Assessment Programme rating …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A friend of mine runs a Dismantlers, the number of lower mileage newer cars is really ramping up as mostly perfectly serviceable cars are broken up because of one Gizmo costing far more than the car is worth to rectify has fried its electronic brain.

    Certain French cars seem particularly prone to this. I have an old 1990 Peugeot 405 estate that has done 233k it still carries garden rubbish, dogs bikes etc and gives a good account when I collect a new batch of slabs for the patio area we are having laid. Still returns around 40mpg on a run too. - not bad for a 1.9 diesel

    New cars... a waste of money, and nowhere near as good as the older less complex ones ones.

  2. Dan Paul
    Devil

    Whatever happened to "Personal Responsibility"?

    I like technology but when it is a replacement for the simple act of driving responsibly I don't feel it should be made mandatory.

    Let's take ABS for example. Friend of mine had a Ford Probe with major ABS problems, car had never been in an accident, decent condition just a little rusty. ABS would just lock up on him at a moments notice. Dealer wanted $3,000 (yes that's right) to replace the ABS "pump" (hydraulic unit) and computer.

    That was twice what my friend had paid for the used car. Obviously he did not go back to the dealer for the repair.

    He later found a few used parts and some new sensors and wiring solved his problems. Most of his issues were caused by corroded electrical connectors. Since he is a very safe (and SLOW) driver, the CBA for the ABS did not make any logical sense.

    As others have mentioned, much of this technology really only serves to unneccessarily increase the cost of the car as well as the "Stealerships" DisService Department coffers. GPS map updates should never come with additional costs, electrical connectors should be IP68 by default, brakelines and fittings should be made from 316L SST and exhaust tubing should not rust.

    Once a car is out of the financial reach of the average man, then his freedom to move is greatly decreased. "The Man" gets even greater control over Working Stiffs and we go back to the era of the "Company Store" with "Company Scrip" and "Company Housing".

    If technology becomes mandated then it's lifespan and warranty should also. Manufacturers should be required to disassemble autos for repairs and fix any design (before sale to the public) that requires the front bumper be dropped to reach the ABS pump or other stupid design debacles such as having to disconnect and lift the engine to change the rear spark plugs. Special tools and Repair Manuals should be provided to the owner WITH the purchase of the vehicle not as an after market item. The minimum lifetime of a car's mandated operating parts should be at least ten years if not longer.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Whatever happened to "Personal Responsibility"?

      > requires the front bumper be dropped to reach the ABS pump

      ABS pump? I've had cars where you have to take the front bumper off just to replace the HEADLIGHT BULB, ffs. Make the law requiring you to carry a spare bulb a complete waste of time when it takes an hours labour in a garage to change it.

  3. Alan Brown Silver badge

    Re: "I can't help feeling that "I though my car was going to brake, but it didn't" is going to look rather stupid on an accident claim form."

    I've tested my ACC in the motorway. When it decides to brake hard you're probably already feeling uncomfortably close to the car in front. Anyone who actually depended on AEB or ACC to keep them out of that sort of trouble is likely to already have a claims list that's pretty long - or be a driver of "certain upmarket german marques"

    (ACC copes badly with speed differentials over 20mph. If you come up behnd a slow queue, it will brake quite hard to match speed. It's also pretty good at spotting, then losing deer on country lanes.)

  4. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. handle
      Joke

      Re: All the car companies that don't have it

      "You can't make something compulsory unless it's well developed and the tech is covered by FRAND."

      Or you're Microsoft.

  5. Old Handle
    Facepalm

    Damn

    Well, I'm not normally a fan of all this big-government stuff but I got rear-ended probably no more than half an hour after reading this article, so I'm thinking maybe this is actually a good idea.

    Nobody was hurt, and a messed up bumper is about all the damage, but it sure wasn't a fun experience.

  6. jungle_jim

    a Big spike

    though the centre of the steering wheel, will cut down road deaths drastically.

    1. Ford_Prefect

      Re: a Big spike

      Indeed I have long thought you could throw away ABS airbags and impact beams in favor of this and have a greater reduction in accidents and injuries than any of the rubbish they have laden (and thus made use more fuel and thus raise more TAX with) the cars down with

  7. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    27%.? *that* high?

    Would that number make it the *most* influential device for cutting road accidents *ever*?

    Highly suspicious.

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