Federal regulators are proposing a sweeping rule that would require all trucks over 10,000 pounds to be equipped with an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system and an electronic stability control (ESC) system that works in conjunction with AEBs.

The proposal, issued jointly on Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, would go into effect for most new Class 7 and 8 trucks (those with a weight rating of over 26,000 pounds) within three years of the final rule, with most new Class 3-6 trucks (weighing over 10,000 pounds) to meet the requirements within four years.

The NHTSA-FMCSA proposal comes eight years after safety advocates formally petitioned NHTSA for such a rule and was mandated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in 2021. Collision avoidance technology is also on the National Transportation Safety Board’s “Most Wanted” list of safety regulations.