Brake-By-Wire Promises To Be The Brake System Of The Future

Anthony Fontanelle
March 6, 2007

The automotive industry is one which comes up with innovation time after time. It was not so long ago when motorists did not have the services of technologically advanced features like the anti-lock braking system (ABS). But continued developments in the auto industry made it possible for motorists to have more and more features in their vehicles which make driving a whole new experience.

The brake system of a vehicle is one of the more important systems in the vehicles. It keeps a vehicle’s occupants safe by allowing the driver to stop the car whenever he or she wants or need to. Currently, most number of vehicles in the roads of the world is equipped with hydraulic braking system. This means that the brake calipers are activated by pressurized brake fluid. The fluid is pressurized in the master cylinder of the vehicle. This pressurized fluid is then passed through the hydraulic lines to get to the brake calipers.

Recent development though seems to point out that in the future, the hydraulic line may no longer be needed in a vehicle’s braking system. In fact, in a recent study conducted by Frost & Sullivan, analysts predicted that beyond the year 2010, the auto industry will start to replace hydraulic braking systems with brake-by-wire systems. The use of brake-by-wire technologies like the electro mechanical braking system and the electronic wedge brake is expected to be standard for future vehicles.

These braking systems uses electronic signal instead of mechanical in order to activate the brakes. The electro mechanical barking system or (EMB) does not require hydraulic lines since the activation of the brake is done within the wheel assembly itself. Instead of using calipers, the system uses a wheel brake module. This module includes disc brakes and an electric motor which is the one that will activate the brakes whenever the driver pushes down on the brake pedal. The disc brakes used in this system are just like EBC brake pads in terms of efficiency in stopping a vehicle. To calculate how much braking force is needed, a vehicle needs to be equipped with an Electronic Stability Program (ESP). The ESP maintains the stability of the car during braking with the aid of different sensors integrated into a vehicle.

With the use of the brake-by-wire system, drivers are given more control of their vehicles especially in case of emergency. The study conducted also shows that among the respondents in their survey, a large number of motorists will buy a car if it is equipped with the said technology. This is because the reliability of the aforementioned braking system has been documented to be better than conventional hydraulic braking system.

Source:  Amazines.com