The art of braking may seem very simple, and yet it is absolutely not. I would even say that knowing how to brake is one of the best qualities a driver can have.
Posted at 11:45 a.m.
Slowing down your vehicle optimally without losing control actually requires an understanding of several parameters. The quality of the tires and road grip are two important aspects, of course, but the behavior that the vehicle will have under braking should not be underestimated either, considering the transfer of masses which takes place and which changes the contact of the tires with the ground. Sometimes heavier in front, less in back, sometimes more laterally in a bend, the cases are multiple.
Fortunately, some braking systems exist to support the driver depending on the situation. Among the more traditional systems, drivers are now used to ABS brakes, which prevent the wheels from locking when braking. However, this system has its limits because it only comes into action when it perceives the blockage.
However, things could change soon with the advent of a new braking system that will change the game considerably, courtesy of the Italian company Brembo.
A major specialist in braking, the company will soon be offering its Sensify system, an IBS type system (Intergrated Brake System or brake-by-wire for purists) which will use artificial intelligence to anticipate braking capacity even before the blockage occurs.
The sensors record, the system takes care of it
Thanks to a multitude of sensors, the system will act for you. It will calculate the impulses and driving patterns of the road user. Steering, throttle response, gearbox, ESP (electronic trajectory corrector), active suspensions, lark.
By recording how you brake, it will optimize your experience. You are not a champion at perceiving maneuvers in advance and tend to brake suddenly? Sensify will take this into consideration and act well in advance of any loss of adhesion.
It will optimize stopping distances, take into account road conditions, the mass of the vehicle, it will even be able to act on the load distribution to lower the temperature of a wheel which is unfortunately too stressed. In short, he will take control. And everything will be done with extreme precision, we promise.
But still, the driver will benefit from a considerable speed in the variation of braking applied, and this, independently for each wheel.
It is estimated, in fact, that braking will be at least twice as fast as what is known with a traditional braking system. The speed was calculated at 100 milliseconds. It’s fast.
Difference in driving experience, you say? Very tall. The driver will see the difference in the performance of the system, but also in the feeling of safety from which he will benefit.
Thanks to its technology, this braking system also promises great flexibility of use and a few other advantages not to be overlooked. Its ease of adaptation, for example, since it can be applied to all types of cars, from the most classic models to ultra-sporty models.
We are even thinking of extending it to utility vehicles and trucks eventually, even if these vehicles are equipped with loads that imply completely different braking performance.
The great advantage of this system is precisely that it can take into account the load and the distribution of the masses when braking, and this, for all types of vehicles. And since it is activated electronically, we could just as well find it one day on future robot taxis, foresee the specialists.
Finally, last but not least, it is said to be very pleasant to use.
Not to be overlooked: pleasure
To experience the technology as it should, road tests of all kinds have been carried out, whether we think of emergency braking tests on dry tracks, on wet tracks or on low-grip surfaces to simulate a surface snowy.
Other tests were also carried out with braking in the middle of a bend or emergency braking at the end of the race and, again, the system plays with the forces present, it is reported. It appears that in all circumstances, the electronic control unit knows how to distribute the braking to combine ABS, ESP, torque vectoringphysical braking, and even the regenerative braking of electric vehicles.
Finally, everywhere, we noticed the same feeling: the pleasure of driving, especially in the feeling of softness on the pedal. Braking without ABS lifts or noise, let’s admit that it will be something else.
So when is it? Soon. The very first marketing of the Sensify system is scheduled for 2024, for the first production model at least. Because as is often the case, we should implement it on high-end vehicles first, and wait a few years to generalize everything. Promising.