Braking Technology Barriers
Newcastle Herald
Saturday December 2, 2000
MOST of us are familiar with the acronyms given to modern braking systems.
ABS means anti-lock braking system, ESP stands for electronic stability program and EBD shows the system has electronic brake-force distribution.
And soon, says DaimlerChrysler, we will have SBC or Sensotronic Brake Control, an electrohydraulic high-pressure braking system. SBC uses electric impulses to pass braking commands to a microcomputer that processes various sensor signals simultaneously, calculating optimum braking pressures for each wheel.
The result, says the company, is greater active safety than conventional systems when braking in a corner or on slippery surfaces.
Other features, such as Traffic Jam Assist, operate the brakes automatically in stop-go traffic immediately the driver takes his or her foot from the accelerator, and a Soft-Stop function that allows soft and smooth stopping in city traffic.
The industry buzzword for the system is mechatronics, a mixture of mechanics and electronics mating two very different disciplines with electronic systems controlled by microprocessors and actuators replacing rods, wires and hydraulics.
© 2000 Newcastle Herald
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