Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

Automatic emergency braking uses sensors to watch the road ahead and applies the brakes itself if it detects an imminent collision and you have not reacted in time. It can either reduce the severity of a crash or, at lower speeds, avoid it altogether.

It is one of the most valuable safety systems on a modern car because it targets the most common and serious accidents — running into the back of slowing or stopped traffic. Many systems also detect pedestrians and cyclists.

It is a last-resort safety net, not something you ever rely on. The car will usually warn you first and expects you to brake; AEB only intervenes when a collision is close and you have not acted. Good driving still means leaving space and braking yourself.

For a renter there is nothing to operate — it works automatically in the background. Just be aware it exists, so a sudden automatic brake in a near-miss reassures you that the car is helping, rather than alarming you.