Automakers Seek Repeal of Biden’s High-Speed Braking Rule

The largest U.S. auto trade group wants a federal court to block a Biden administration rule requiring carmakers to install automatic emergency braking systems on new vehicles that the industry argues is impractical.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation on Friday said it petitioned an appeals court in Washington to review a rule finalized by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last April. The rule mandates that carmakers equip their vehicles with automatic braking systems capable of avoiding contact with vehicles in front of them at speeds up to 62 miles per hour.

The Alliance, whose members include Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Stellantis NV, Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., argues the braking rule is not feasible with current technology. The group notes that automakers have voluntarily agreed to lower automatic braking standards.

The legal action could also set the rule up to be reexamined and potentially revised by the incoming Trump administration. The mandate requires automatic braking systems to be capable of detecting pedestrians in driving conditions that include both daylight and darkness.

The regulation is set to take effect on Jan. 27, and automakers would have until September 2029 to fully comply.

Top photo: Cars make their way down the aging 110 freeway toward downtown L.A. during the morning commute on April 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)