automaticemergencybraking
Latest
Ford's 2019 Ranger unveiled with automatic emergency brakes
After a few years away (at least in the US) Ford's midsize truck, the Ranger, will return for the 2019 model year. Just unveiled ahead of the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it's one of two new models that Ford is releasing that includes automatic emergency braking. Other driver assists like lane keeping and adaptive cruise control are also available, but the one we haven't seen before is a sort of "cruise control for off-road" called Trail Control. Between 1-20 MPH on rugged terrain, it takes over acceleration and braking individually on each wheel while the driver just steers.
Tesla revives automatic braking in response to lower review scores
Apparently, public pressure works... to a degree. Tesla has reintroduced automatic emergency braking to the Model S and Model X through an update after their continued omission led Consumer Reports to lower its ratings for the electric cars. It's a tentative step, mind you. The feature currently only works at speeds up to 28MPH, so this won't save you if someone abruptly slows down on the highway. Higher speeds will come in stages, Tesla says. It's not clear just when you'll see the 90MPH braking that came with models released before October 2016.
Tesla Model S safety concerns cost it Consumer Reports' top rating
Consumer Reports and Tesla really aren't getting along well lately. The what-should-I-buy magazine has lowered the ratings of Tesla's Model S and Model X after noting that a promised automatic emergency braking feature (originally due by the end of 2016) is still missing. The move isn't too damaging for the Model X, since a two-point drop from a modest score of 58 isn't likely to change buyers' minds. For the Model S, however, it's a big blow -- the move from 87 to 85 knocks the electric sedan from the top of the ultraluxury category to third. While few people choose a car simply because it's leading the Consumer Reports charts, it's harder to make your case when you're merely considered better than average.
