ATA wants automatic braking systems standardized

by Truck News

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is calling on vehicle manufacturers to standardize safety systems with automatic braking.

“In our role as a safety leader, we believe ATA needs to be at the forefront of advocating for proven safety technologies,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “The experience of our member fleets tells us that automatic emergency braking systems hold tremendous promise and as such, we believe manufacturers should make this equipment standard and the federal government should seriously look at issuing regulatory standards.”

“Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it had reached an agreement with 10 leading automakers to make these systems standard on new cars,” added ATA Chairman Pat Thomas, senior vice-president of state government affairs for UPS. “We believe our friends in the truck manufacturing community and the rest of the automakers should join them in putting automatic emergency braking systems on all new vehicles sold in the United States.”


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  • This system is only a good thing in a perfect world. You must combine it with a “don’t-move-in-font-of-this-vehicle-because-you’re-too-close” system as well to be really safe. This only system will be more dangerous with all the bad habits any drivers got…
    We are talking about cutting traffic at the last minute to take the exit, the road rage proportion that will raise, the “me-myself-and-I” way to drive, and a lot of other things…
    Don’t you think it is about time that the road safety improvement can look at the reality first? The problem is not the about braking a truck, the problem is that people that doesn’t drive a truck just don’t care and they are creating dangerous situations. Look at the real studies, you’ll be surprised that most of the accidents involving a truck are most likely created by a car…
    Start by limitting the speed automatically in every state and province, for every single vehicle, and than, only than you’ll be able to see what we need to improve. As long as the cars are able to do anything while the trucks are strictly struck into speed limiters, limited hours of driving and services, and so many other rules, there will be a non sense of putting this system in place.
    Trucks are not the problem, neither the solutions. Stop targetting the trucks and face the problem the right way: four-wheelers.

    • I totally agree with safety managers comments if the FMSCA and the big carrier’s are really concerned about safety educate 4 wheelers how to drive around trucks and better training for new CDL drivers The ATA is only goal is to have trucks that practically drive themselves so that even a fry cook from Mac Donalds could drive a truck the bottom line is cheap slave labor just saying they are other cheaper areas that should be focused to increase truck safety and why have the speed limits been increased??? and then force carriers to outfit trucks an trailers with devices to save fuel this makes no sense

  • The trucking industry is hurting for drivers and this is the idea that the American Trucking Association came up with to standardize automatic breaking systems. Stupid. I guess the thought of simple driver training and education was not considered. I am all about safety and believe that it is paramount but it is stupid ideas like this that kill all that is reasonable. It takes a driver to see what will work and what will not work when operating a commercial vehicle in the real world. As usual it is NON-TRUK DRIVERS that make stupid rules with their silly unjustified views. KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid

    • Way 2 go professional driver! The ATA needs 2 get there head out of their asses. We need 2 stand united! i still say that all trucking companies in Canada and the USA need to have a day of protest, where we all shut down 4 a day to show what we do on a regular basis. All the talk so far ..and i mean talk never comes 2 any resolve of the trucking industries issues..When will we come together 2 fight the government on their stupid rules? U cant trust the government! They all have their own agendas which never seem 2 invole trucking companies other than the mega carriers…i would love to see this braking mandate used here in canada….Just add ice.The towing companies are going 2 be rich. Anyway lets put our differences on the side burner and join as one voice….anything else will be a waste of Time.

  • I got my commercial license in 1963 @ the age of 17 in the state of Texas. Thank God I still have a perfect driving record. First you people want ABS, now you want suicide lockup brakes. I own one of your suicide on guard that only locks up the drive axels & ABS does not function at the same time. Twice I have went into a jack knife skid on dry pavement leaving black skid marks more than 30 feet on dry pavement & managed to pull out safely but would you pls explain what the outcome would be on ice, snow or rain. Why don’t ATA put all of your Idiot ideas on your motorcycles first , at least it won’t kill as many people? Just remember well over 6 million miles safe driving speaks louder but unheard by ignorant people.