ZF, Brembo Developing Electromechanical Calipers That Require No Brake Fluid

A new braking system being developed by ZF and Brembo may change the way brake maintenance is done, according to The Autopian.

The new system from Brembo’s Sensify and ZF’s EMB would replace hydraulically actuated calipers with electric ones, allowing for an electromechanical mechanism that clamps the pads to the discs.

The electric calipers would prevent the pads from interacting with the discs, making it easier to perform pad changes. Additionally, the new system would eliminate traditional brake lines, as well as the need for brake fluid flushes.

Potential upsides to such a braking system could include faster actuation and better control of individual wheels, as well as allowing for automatic adjustments at calipers themselves for weight transfer and different surface friction. Computer algorithms would also help achieve threshold braking in slippery conditions, rather than leaving it solely to a driver.

ZF has also claimed that its electromechanical calipers are capable of a 29.5 feet reduction in automatic emergency braking stopping distance from 62 mph over a standard hydraulic braking system.

However, as The Autopian highlighted, there are potential negatives to electromechanical brakes, too—one of which being the weight of an electric motor and mechanism added onto a caliper, and how to package such a large component. Their large size could even require altering suspension arm placement to maintain an adequate steering angle.

With contracts already signed, the new braking system is expected to appear in production cars in the next few years.