Research conducted in 1992 at the Mercedes-Benz driving simulator in Berlin revealed that more than 90% of drivers fail to brake with enough force when faced with an emergency.
If an emergency develops, a slow reaction and less than maximum braking input could result in insufficient time or distance to stop before an accident occurs.
If the system identifies an emergency, it automatically initiates full braking more quickly than any driver can move their foot.
In 1998 Mercedes-Benz became the first company to make Brake Assist standard equipment on all its models; other brands including Volvo and BMW soon followed suit.
Volvo cars can also be equipped with the City Safety System which automatically brakes in stop start traffic.
In October 2007 the European Commission announced that it wanted Brake Assist to be included on all new models sold in the EU as standard by 2009.
[4] In the EU, that regulation applies since 24 November 2009 all new passenger car and light commercial vehicle types already had to be equipped with brake assist systems as standard.
139, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of passenger cars with regard to Brake Assist Systems, in some UNECE countries.