The data related to the number of cars sold in 2017 that featured automatic emergency braking systems wasn't especially surprising, but one truth seems to emerge: they are, perhaps obviously, far more common in brands that provide auto braking as standard equipment across the bulk of a model's trim lineup. If it's an option, and especially if it's restricted to a package exclusive to an upper trim level, people will skip it.
Toyota sold the largest number of vehicles with automatic braking – 1.4 million cars out of 2.5 total – which is indicative of the fact that many of its cars and crossovers come standard with it as part of the company's Toyota Safety Sense package. That number should also go up in 2018 as the new Camry comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense. General Motors was next, selling 551,777 vehicles. This is somewhat of an outlier as safety tech is almost always optional on GM's volume-selling vehicles, however, it's also widespread and available throughout most of their models' trim levels.
Honda was third with 492,330 sold, which makes sense as Honda Sensing is standard on the volume-selling EX levels of the 2017 Civic and CR-V, and optional on all 2017 Accord trim levels. Every 2018 Accord will come standard with Honda Sensing, which should raise the 2018 auto braking volume number considerably. In terms of percentage of vehicles sold by a manufacturer, Mercedes and Tesla led the way with nearly 100 percent. Next was Audi at 73 percent, Volvo at 68 percent and BMW at 58 percent. Toyota and Subaru would seem to have the highest percentage among non-luxury brands.
