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New safety technology takes at least 30 years to reach 95% of the vehicles being driven. The final 5% often takes many more decades to be reached by new safety features due to the resistance of some to finally sell a beloved vehicle.

These new features start at the top of the market in the more expensive vehicles and only slowly trickle down through the vehicle market as consumer expectations evolve and laws change. Some car safety technologies are adopted at much faster rates. Antilock braking systems, first to hit the market in 1985, will probably meet the 95% threshold by 2015.

Some of the newer technologies will take much longer to saturate the market. It is thought that the forward collision warning system that was introduced at the turn of the century will not be in 95% of the vehicles until 2049.