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NHTSA, IIHS, and 20 automakers to make auto braking standard by 2022

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and virtually every automaker in the US domestic market have announced a pact to make automatic emergency braking standard by 2022. Here's the full rundown of companies involved: BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo (not to mention the brands that fall under each automaker's respective umbrella). Like we reported yesterday, AEB will be as ubiquitous in the future as traction and stability control are today. But the thing to note here is that this is not a governmental mandate. It's truly an agreement between automakers and the government, a fact that NHTSA claims will lead to widespread adoption three years sooner than a formal rule. That fact in itself should prevent up to 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries. The agreement will come into effect in two waves. For the majority of vehicles on the road – those with gross vehicle weights below 8,500 pounds – AEB will need to be standard equipment by September 1, 2022. Vehicles between 8,501 and 10,000 pounds will have an extra three years to offer AEB. "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 Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in an official statement. "It's a win for safety and a win for consumers." Read on for the official press release from NHTSA. Related Video: U.S. DOT and IIHS announce historic commitment of 20 automakers to make automatic emergency braking standard on new vehicles McLEAN, Va. – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announced today a historic commitment by 20 automakers representing more than 99 percent of the U.S. auto market to make automatic emergency braking a standard feature on virtually all new cars no later than NHTSA's 2022 reporting year, which begins Sept 1, 2022. Automakers making the commitment are 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.

2021 Subaru Crosstrek is finally getting a more powerful engine

Subaru will address one of the Crosstrek's biggest shortcomings by making a 2.5-liter flat-four engine available in time for the 2021 model year. It will power the range-topping Limited trim and a new Sport-badged model. You asked, and the Japanese company is listening. Tom Doll, the CEO of Subaru's American division, told industry trade journal Automotive News that many customers have complained about the 152-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that has powered the current-generation Crosstrek since its launch. Put bluntly: It's slow.  "One of the things that our customers were telling us about the Crosstrek was it was maybe a little underpowered with the 2.0-liter engine. Well, the 2.5-liter engine will solve that problem," he announced at a dealer meeting. While he stopped short of divulging technical details, Subaru has a pair of 2.5-liter flat-fours to choose from in its parts bin. The first is a turbocharged unit rated at 310 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque when it's thumping under the WRX STI's hood. Don't get your hopes up — that's not what's going in the Crosstrek, sadly. Nothing is official, but it's reasonable to assume Doll was referring to the naturally-aspirated four available in the Forester, the Outback, and the Legacy. It delivers 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque in all three applications. Subaru will usher the 2.5-liter into the Crosstrek range by expanding it with a new trim level called Sport. The range-topping Limited will also be offered with the bigger engine. Pricing information hasn't been announced yet, and neither has availability, but the peppier Crosstrek will likely arrive later in 2020 as a 2021 model. The Crosstrek is a jacked-up Impreza with a more rugged design, so it stands to reason the 2.5-liter fits in both models. There's no word yet on whether the equally underpowered Impreza will receive it. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.    

2020 Subaru Impreza gets EyeSight safety tech, $100 price increase

We recently saw the Japanese version of the 2020 Subaru Impreza after a subtle mid-cycle update, and now come details of the American version, which follows the same script in appearance but has a few new tricks up its sleeve. Subaru adds $100 to the starting price for the four-door model, which starts at $19.595, including destination, while the five-door hatchback is priced from $20,095. The big news is the addition of EyeSight, Subaru’s suite of driver-assist safety technologies, as standard on all Imprezas equipped with the continuously variable transmission, which is available on all four trim levels (Standard, Premium, Sport and Limited). That gets you automatic pre-collision braking and throttle management, lane-keep assist, lane-departure and sway warning, and lead vehicle start alert, which is essentially a heads-up to hit the gas when the vehicle in front of you has started moving from a stop. New for 2020 is the option of adding a reminder to check the rear seat occupants before leaving the car. Unlike in its native country, Americans buyers can still get an Impreza with a five-speed manual. ItÂ’s available on the Standard trim for the sedan and on the Standard and Sport models in the hatchback. The trade-off for driving stick, Subaru tells us, is that you give up the option of EyeSight. Steering-wheel paddle shifters are now available on CVT-equipped Premium models and above to pair with a seven-speed manual-mode function, and drivers can now select between Intelligent and Sport modes of throttle management as a standard feature. Also new are automatic power door locks with a collision-detection unlock function, which are standard on all trims, new 18-inch alloy wheels and active torque vectoring Visually, the car looks pretty much the same as the Japanese version, with a revised grille and front bumper cover, a wide air dam stretching across the entire face of the bumper and L-shaped chrome bracket trim book-ending it. Five-door models only get a new design on the combination lights. ThereÂ’s also a new color option called Ocean Blue Pearl. The engine remains the same as before, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer making 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy tops out at 36 mpg on the highway and 28 in the city, with a range of 450 miles. Other standard features include the Starlink 6.5-inch multimedia touchscreen and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. The 2020 Impreza arrives in showrooms later this month.