The first two First Class coaches also part, causing the automatic braking system to kick in.

BBC: Hatfield: The accident in detail

The Driver Assist package, debuting now, goes a step further by intervening to avoid a crash through its Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Collision Preparation, and Front and Rear Automatic Braking systems.

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But the NHTSA hopes that with more state-backed adoption, advances in vehicle-to-vehicle communication and automatic braking can more quickly be refined, thus paving the way for industry standards and eventual commercial deployment.

ENGADGET

The systems are integrated to include automatic emergency braking and passenger compartment crash preparation, which does things like closes windows and tightens seat belts if the car senses an impending crash.

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In fact, the next generation of automotive technology may employ automatic steering and braking systems that relieve drivers of much of the responsibility for, well, driving.

CNN: Technology's next frontier: In-car computing