Insurer says many accidents are caused by late braking or braking without enough force

More Than, RSA’s direct personal lines brand, is offering an average 16% cut in car insurance premiums for drivers with an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) device fitted to their cars.

The discount will include existing customers.

AEB automatically applies the brakes of a car, using technologies such as radar, lasers and optical sensors to identify other vehicles and pedestrians.

The insurer said the braking system helps avoid or reduce the severity of a crash if a driver does not respond in time

More Than head of motor Daniel Robinson said: “As a responsible insurer, we’re committed to encouraging drivers to be safer on the road. We regularly see car accidents caused by late braking or braking without enough force and the impact can be devastating.”

A recent study by motor insurance repair research firm Thatcham Research found that AEB reduced the occurrence of low speed accidents by around 20%.

It also revealed that the technology was more effective when drivers were doing less than 25 miles per hour, which is when more than 75% of accidents happened.

“As this technology significantly reduces the likelihood of having a crash, we believe it’s right to reward drivers who have it fitted in their car, which is why we’re discounting their premiums,” Robinson added.