The association claims that making ABS systems obligatory for tractors between 40km/hr and 60km/hr adds significant costs to tractor buyers and must be shelved. ABS brakes are required on fast tractors rated to drive at more than 60km/hr.

CEMA claims that the available evidence shows that the main cause for tractor accidents is not a lack of braking performance. It claims that the two prime causes of recorded accidents are: low speed (compared with other road vehicles) and low visibility.

CEMA claims that with an average fleet renewal rate of 1.7% across all 28 EU member states, it would take more than 20 years before the first fatal accident could statistically be avoided. By contrast, it claims that improving, for instance, the lighting and signalling of Europe’s entire tractor fleet could prevent up to 70 fatal accidents each year.

CEMA claims that making ABS brakes mandatory on all tractors over 40km/hr would add cost increases that range from 2% to up to 10% of the vehicle price. This could mean an additional €5,000 price increase per tractor sold in Ireland. CEMA believes that mandatory ABS on tractors neither delivers society benefits nor improves the farmer’s bottom line.

Resistance to ABS brakes on tractors

ABS brakes on 40km/hr tractors make no sense

The European farm machinery industry association CEMA claims that the European Commission’s plans to make the fitting of anti-lock braking systems (ABS) on tractors mandatory does not make sense.