The growing proliferation of driver assistance systems in vehicles has made an increasingly significant contribution to the reduction in the number of fatalities and severities in traffic accidents. Driver assistance systems, such as autonomous pre-crash braking systems can reduce the impact velocity (particularly the impact energy) or can even avoid the crash completely. Thus, by reducing the impact speed in order to decrease the number of serious accidents, the subsequent repair costs of the crashed vehicle can also be lowered.

In the following article, based on a crash test (following Euro NCAP with a frontal impact) the influence of driver assistance systems on repair costs after an accident are described and discussed. Particularly, the potential of an integrated safety approach regarding repair cost reduction is described, focusing on an autonomous emergency braking system. The system of an actual BMW 5 Series model will serve as an example.

The repair costs of two vehicles crashed with and without an autonomous pre-crash braking system are compared here. The relevant test results are described and discussed, quantifying the effect of the autonomous emergency braking system on the impact speed and, consequently, on the repair cost reduction. Furthermore, an estimate of the benefit of the system in real-world crashes is given.

One major result of the test was that with an autonomous emergency braking system, an impact speed reduction of up to 40% (based on the initial speed according to the Euro NCAP test procedure) can be achieved. The benefits generated concerning the damage to a BMW 5 Series are also described.