MCLEAN, Va. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today announced a commitment by 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) a standard feature on virtually all of its vehicles by 2022.

The 20 automakers who have made the commitment — Audi,  BMW, FCA US LLC, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Tesla Motors Inc., Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo Car USA — represent more than 99% of the U.S. auto market.

“It’s an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “It’s a win for safety and a win for consumers.”

An AEB system uses on-vehicle sensors — radar, cameras or lasers — to detect an imminent crash and then warns the driver and applies brakes if the driver does not take sufficient action quickly enough.

Mounting evidence, according to NHTSA and IIHS, has suggested that AEB systems have effectively reduced crashes and injuries in the U.S. and around the world. So, the two organizations issued a challenge to the automotive industry in September 2015 to encourage automakers to voluntarily make AEB a standard feature; meetings between all parties involved then followed to come to an agreement.

“The benefits of this commitment are far reaching,” said IIHS Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer David Zuby. “From injuries and deaths averted to the recovery of productivity that would otherwise be lost in traffic jams caused by the crashes prevented. It also assures that all Americans will benefit from this technology.”

Consumer Reports will also be assisting in monitoring the automaker’s progress toward meeting the AEB commitment, according to NHTSA and IIHS. By Sept. 1 2022, the organizations expect virtually all light-duty cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 8,500 pounds or less to be equipped with AEB.

Virtually all trucks with a gross vehicle weight between 8,501 pounds and 10,000 pounds are expected to have AEB by Sept. 1 2025.