While some folks may feel as though the safety technologies found in modern vehicles are burdensome at best, it’s hard to deny that most of these features save countless lives every year. With that in mind, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently revealed that rear automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems are quite effective at avoiding costly low-speed accidents.
According to a report from the IIHS, almost 30 percent of all collision claims during the 2022 calendar year were for rear impacts that cost over $4,000. By contrast, rear AEB systems cost as little as $600 on some vehicles, and have been found to decrease the frequency of claims for damage to other vehicles by 29 percent.
“Since 2018, new vehicles have been required to come with a rear camera that makes it easier to see where you’re going when you’re backing up,” IIHS President David Harkey noted in a prepared statement. “Rear automatic emergency braking systems aren’t required, making the feature far less common. That’s too bad because our research consistently shows that technology that intervenes on behalf of the driver is more effective in preventing crashes than other types of solutions.”
Of course, it’s worth noting that not all AEB systems are created equal, as the exact circumstances surrounding a potential accident can vary.
For reference, here’s the breakdown on which General Motors products are available with a rear AEB system.
| 2024MY | 2025MY | |
|---|---|---|
| BrightDrop Zevo 400/600 | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Buick Enclave | - | S1,2 |
| Buick Encore GX | - | - |
| Buick Envision | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Buick Envista | - | - |
| Cadillac Celestiq | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Cadillac CT4 | A2 | A2 |
| Cadillac CT5 | A2 | S1,2 |
| Cadillac Escalade | A2 | A2 |
| Cadillac Escalade IQ | N/A | S1,2 |
| Cadillac Lyriq | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Cadillac Optiq | N/A | S1,2 |
| Cadillac XT4 | S1, A2 | S1,2 |
| Cadillac XT5 | A2 | A2 |
| Cadillac XT6 | A2 | A2 |
| Chevy Blazer | - | - |
| Chevy Blazer EV | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Chevy Camaro | - | N/A |
| Chevy Colorado | A1 | A1 |
| Chevy Corvette | - | - |
| Chevy Equinox | - | S1,2 |
| Chevy Equinox EV | S1 | S1 |
| Chevy Express | - | - |
| Chevy Malibu | - | - |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 | A1 | A1 |
| Chevy Silverado EV | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Chevy Silverado HD | - | - |
| Chevy Silverado MD | - | - |
| Chevy Suburban | A2 | A2 |
| Chevy Tahoe | A2 | A2 |
| Chevy Trailblazer | - | - |
| Chevy Traverse | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| Chevy Traverse Limited | - | - |
| Chevy Trax | - | - |
| GMC Acadia | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| GMC Canyon | A1 | A1 |
| GMC Hummer EV Pickup | S2 | S2 |
| GMC Hummer EV SUV | S2 | S2 |
| GMC Savana | - | - |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | A1 | A1 |
| GMC Sierra EV | S1,2 | S1,2 |
| GMC Sierra HD | - | - |
| GMC Terrain | - | S1,2 |
| GMC Yukon/Yukon XL | A2 | A2 |
- Rear Cross Traffic Braking (RPO code UFB)
- Reverse Automatic Braking (RPO code UVZ)
“Rear AEB probably offers the biggest bang for the buck of any of the crash avoidance systems we monitor,” HLDI Senior Vice President Matt Moore remarked. “The cost of parking lot fender benders really adds up.”
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Comments
I beg to differ. Although I’m sure it does help reduce the number of backing accidents and thus insurance claims/costs, it’s a feature that needs a lot of improvement.
I had a 2021 Volvo S60 PHEV a couple years ago that had it. I hated it. One time I was backing up very slowly and could see a person walking about 10 to 13 feet behind me. Yet the system picked the person up and slammed on the brakes nearly giving me whip-lash. At the Volvo dealership I work at, we often have to back vehicles up in tight spaces and often the system will not allow you to fully back up to another vehicle behind if you are close.
But the worst thing about it is how harsh it is when it activates. When I said above that it nearly gave me whip-lash, I’m not being funny. And the worst part about it? It can be so startling that you don’t even know what happened. I can see someone older being startled so badly and then accidently slamming the gas pedal down instead of the brake. Then what? I have no idea what the vehicle would do or not do in that situation and I don’t want to find out. So I’ll pass if possible. I love the back up 360 view camera and rear cross traffic alert on my Bolt. That is perfect.
I agree it can be very harsh, at least in the wife’s 2019 Subaru. Putting a moving vehicle into park could be less extreme! 😉
My GM truck only has the warning beeps, which is probably both sufficient and better, particularly for false alarm situations. It will sometimes warn me of shadows, or that my hitch is on.
This is an excellent feature that most manufacturers ignore. Even Subaru that brought the feature mainstream, doesn’t offer it on low trims any longer. Cheap.
Nice to see GM embracing it but it should have been done much sooner.
Effective and annoying. On my XT5, If I pull out of the garage too quick the backup sensors will trigger and so will this system. And it will hit the brakes so hard that it feels like you hit something only to then realize the system went off when the car tells you to hold the brakes.
As for effectiveness, oh its very. Especially when one time the wife tries to get the car out without my authorization and she gets the scare of her life with the system going off as she tries to pull out of the garage. Never again does she try to pull that car out without me knowing.
hopefully old ppl will stop backing into cars now..
I know this is an article about automatic reverse braking, but last week I was on a 4-lane loop around the local mall. A bozo changed lanes in front of me so close, it activated my brakes violently and projected a string of red dots onto my windshield (there is a little heads-up display on the new Trax), then SET THE PARKING BRAKE INSTANTLY. I VERY nearly got rear-ended by an old Dakota because of this violent, automatic reaction. Thing is, I had control of my vehicle right up to the moment the car took over, then I was helpless. It took a second for the brake to release… when I needed it to release immediately to avoid causing that old truck behind me to lock up his own brakes. I don’t need my vehicle to babysit me… yet.
I work in the collision industry, and I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had customers blame their vehicle (because they were sold on the idea the car would prevent any chance for an accident) instead of themselves for a lapse in judgment.
ocnblu: Exactly. Your experience is not the only one and many MANY people are experiencing things like this. The couple times the rear “emergency” braking on my 2021 Volvo kicked in, it was startling and kind a scary. I truly thought that I hit something it was that harsh. But I learned my lesson after that and any instances since then I’ve been more aware, but still startling.
My 2023 Bolt 2LT has the perfect combination of safety features and none of them are too harsh or intrusive. It (thankfully) doesn’t have the rear braking thing.