2011-05-022

The Path to Zero Accidents Modular Advanced Braking System

Reinhard W. Schmidt
WABCO

Ivan C. Iazdi
WABCO
Copyright 2011 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc

ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the brake
system technology evolution and the future trends towards
the objective of zero accidents. It will be also possible to
position the current technology status of South American
market and the upcoming introduction of ABS Systems.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Since human being were using mobiles to transport
goods or persons those mobiles requiring engines for
acceleration and brakes for deceleration. In this context
those mobiles were interacting with their environment and
were participating in a common traffic. If operators of those
mobiles respect the accepted rules and have man &
machine under control no danger will occur. If not then
accidents may occur among vehicles on the road or just the
vehicle itself will loose control and run into an accident.
Specially in case of commercial vehicles due to heavy or
dangerous load these are not seldom fatal accidents
resulting in death and huge environmental damages. The
risk is increasing even more with commercial vehicles
today with high loads and high powered engines as well as
increasing traffic density on the roads.

Over the past decades WABCO has further developed the

air brake for heavy commercial vehicles and entered as well
in the hydraulic brake business for those vehicles which
basically do not need to have trailer control or do not have
the space for the installation of an air brake system like in
most cases special purpose off road vehicles1. It was the
target to reduce the number of fatal accidents and therefore
WABCO has taken the challenge to allow an efficient
commercial transportation with zero accidents. The journey
in Europe starts with the introduction of a single circuit
service braking system for front and rear axles as well as
the interface for the trailer brake application and a parking
brake system to avoid motion in parking mode. It follows
by the introduction of a dual circuit braking system which
provides redundancy in case of failure. In early 80s Antilock Braking System (ABS) was introduced in Europe. This
to allow the driver to control the vehicle even on bad road
conditions like ice or snow but as well sand or mud and dirt
and in addition provide an optimized stopping distance .

Air Braking systems have been developed by Georg

Westinghouse for railway application first and then later
introduced to commercial vehicles. Air was selected
because a powered brake was required to achieve sufficient
deceleration - performance improvement already in the late
1890s and a simple solution for coupling vehicles was
required.
Figure 1. The WABCO Way to realize zero accidents.

Once having the 1st controller on the vehicle other features

were following like the active braking by the Automatic
Traction Control (ATC). This was the 1st time when the
brakes were applied without the drivers interaction. Then
other features followed like Roll Stability Control (RSC)
and full stability control (ESC). Such features would
achieve a penetration of app. 5% - 7% if sold as optional
equipment. This would not significantly improve accident
effects and therefore governments decided to install such
functions as standard equipment on certain vehicle
categories with a minimum performance. Latest feature in
this sequence will be the automated emergency braking
(AEBS) to become mandatory for commercial vehicles in
2013. All these features will contribute to the safety of the
vehicles on the road supporting economical growth of the
societies whereas in parallel reducing the number of fatal
accidents.

A braking system to be considered as a must on a vehicle

there are other functions like Load Sensing, ABS, which are
standards and there are others like ATC, RSC, ESC which
are still delighters and will become a standard and a must
be in case of mandatory requirement. But even if the basic
function algorithm is developed for example in case of ABS
the control circuit for the individual wheel there are
sometimes obstacles to be apply this function to all kind of
available vehicle configurations e.g. all wheel driven
vehicles where it becomes difficult to determine the
absolute vehicle speed vs. ground. In interaction then
application is determine the performance as the function
could be applied to each individual wheel but whether this
application will contribute to significant improvement of
performance needs to be confirmed through measurements.
Sometimes customers complaining having locked wheels
on a 3-axle vehicle with ABS. They have not recognized
that the application in their vehicle fulfils legal
requirements but this does not guarantee all wheels will not
lock.

Figure 2. Most Frequent Accidents

Figure 3. Customer Values

CHALLENGE FOR ENGINEERING: FUNCTION

APPLICATION - PERFORMANCE
FUNCTIONS
When designing a braking system and related functions it is
all about function, application and performance. What
drivers will finally use and recognize will be the
FUNCTION and its PERFORMANCE in their vehicle. The
fleet owner will indirectly experience the benefit in less
cost for assurance as far as safety related features are
concerned and less down time for repair and maintenance.
End users will be satisfied if their goods arrive at the
expected time. These are just some examples of benefits for
the society beside others. Just as an example every vehicle
will have the FUNCTION of a braking system and
everybody of us might have already experienced the
difference in braking PERFORMANCE when changing
from one vehicle to another.

Modular Advanced Braking Systems are providing a

variety of different safety, comfort and diagnostic
functions.
Function development has started with a gradual dual
circuit service braking system to stop the vehicle and a
parking brake system to keep the vehicle on hold and
performs as well as a secondary brake. The braking system
can be extended for trailer brake and none friction brake
like engine brakes or retarders or hybrid drives.
Braking systems have become advanced with the
introduction of controllers for automotive applications
allowing the development of the function of ABS to prevent
the individual wheel from locking followed by the

There are 2axle, 3 axle and multiple axle vehicles with the
option of lift-able axles. Vehicles have pneumatic,
hydraulic or electrical foundation brakes. There are
different kinds of transmissions which requesting different
control algorithm. Other vehicles are designed with all
wheel drives for off road usage. There are mobile cranes,
agriculture tractors with brakes only on rear axle, military
vehicles with multiple steering axles and truck trailer
combinations with multiple degrees of freedom for
movement. Such like 60 ton or even 100 ton truck trailer
combinations as used in Skandinavian regions.

automated traction control ATC including differential brake

and engine control , EBL a kind of electronic load sensing
device, differential lock controls, HSA hill start aid, brake
performance monitoring, tire pressure indication, roll
stability control RSC , full stability control ESC , coupling
force control , deceleration control and others such as
Automated Emergency Braking.
All these advanced functions are developed based on the
available brake control system which will be activated by
advanced systems independently from the driver. The
information is coming from sensors connected to the
system starting with the wheel speed sensor, pressure
sensors, lateral and longitudinal acceleration sensor, yaw
rate sensors, steering angle sensors and not ending with
radar sensors. All these information are well processed
through an algorithm and resulting in the right outputs to
the actuators of the braking system and its connected
vehicle systems such as engine and transmission.

All these applications require the right application to

achieve a safe performance.
Performance and application are going together. WABCO
is offering applications from 6S/6M down to 4S/2M and
still fulfill legal requirements for ABS. Certainly one can
manage all its vehicles with a 4S/4M system nevertheless it
could not be guaranteed that all vehicles of a multiple axles
vehicle will be prevented from locking of individual
wheels.

The maturity of the algorithm depends on the information

required and available. There are certain information which
sometimes need to be calculated indirectly to avoid the
usage of additional sensors like vehicle speed or parameters
to be set like tire size or vehicle parameters to be given to
the algorithm.

Suppliers of such vehicle control system have to consider as

well that such vehicles may changed significantly by a body
builder and will require a technical solution for the
modification of the solution without significant release
effort as currently required for application of ESC.

As sensors are providing physical values it requires

calibration of those sensors within the vehicle system.

Figure 5. Application to vehicle range

PERFORMANCE
Figure 4. Comparison between ABS and EBS
Even if the basic function algorithm is developed it might
take decades and a lot of engineering effort to achieve an
optimized performance.

APPLICATION
Commercial vehicles providing depending on usage a wide
variety of vehicle configurations.

Today and in future more and more such fine tuning of

algorithm will be done through simulation like HIL and SIL
tools.

Nevertheless finally it requires the vehicles, a test track and

the necessary test equipment to confirm the performance in
real testing.
Competence, skill and know-how are here the most
important intangible assets and differentiator of a
technology leading brake system supplier.
Satisfaction of legal requirements is certainly the minimum
performance requirement for brake systems. North
American applications have to fulfill the FMVSS
requirements whereas in EU and other global regions ECE
is required sometimes with local modifications.
Figure 6. Validation Testing of Performance
These performance criteria are stopping distances, brake
efficiencies, brake response time, steering angles, air
consumption and same under failure in the system.

MODULAR SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS

Components are determined to achieve best function,
performance and application. These components are in
summary sensors, actuators and controllers with attached
software which are very often not available for the
commercial usage and needs to be specially developed for
the environmental stress which is applied. If certain
components are needed for basic requirements in high
penetration an integration of those components is efficient
and mechatronics are created such as an axle modulator for
the electronic brake control.

Failures will happen and precautions need to be taken for

those cases like the grade up from a singe circuit braking
system to a dual circuit braking system.
All this under the focus to increase the safety of the vehicle
and avoiding accidents. In context to performance it needs
to be stated that the commercial vehicle to be considered a
combination of tractor and semitrailer or truck and full
trailer or a combination of both. When starting the
mandatory introduction of such vehicle safety functions
such feature is applied either to the towing unit or the trailer
or both. Mainly in any case the feature is improving the
safety of the vehicle combination. For example if the tractor
unit is controlled by ABS it will allow the driver to direct
its vehicle even if the trailer is locked.

Due to global platforms of OEM and regional different

requirements it is most convenient to have a MODULAR
set of components which fits in the chassis only with minor
modifications in the mechanical, pneumatical, electrical or
electronical modifications therefore Modular braking
system.

Another performance benchmark shall be the DRIVERS

BEST. The electronic system shall provide a better
performance than the best driver can manage by himself.
This is not always possible to achieve and for such cases it
shall be possible to disable a function. This in case a
condition may occur i.e. off road which can not be detected
by the system properly and a skilled driver might be able to
manage better.
Target of technology leaders is to provide the BEST OF
BEST in terms of performance. This requires permanent
improvement of the algorithms and significant investments
in development and testing. Last but not least performance
is also expressed in cost of ownership.
Even if the basic function algorithm is developed the
performance is in correlation with the application.

Figure 7. Modular Brake Control Systems

SYSTEM LAYOUT

INDUSTRIALIZATION

The target is to provide a system layout which best suits the

purpose. This means the system shall provide a certain
function with a certain performance for a certain vehicle at
best cost. The limitation lies in cost and system capabilities
because system can not easily be extended by n number of
inputs and x number of outputs. Beside the hardware
requirements it would be much more difficult to extend the
control algorithm without impacting the processing speed.
Therefore the purpose of application engineering is to apply
a certain system with its given limitations to all kind of
vehicle platforms.

Certain functions have been developed early in history but

not succeed due to missing possibility for industrialization
or due to high cost. For example the introduction of radar
sensors for as required for automated emergency braking
systems. Components installed on a truck need to sustain
the environmental stress which is applied during the
operation over the life time . Customers expecting a reliable
function without any trouble. The support needs to be
provided for installation and End of Line (EOL) testing and
parameter setting as well as field service diagnostic and
training. All this is currently supplied by WABCO for the
application of their system to allow the introduction of such
new technologies.

Braking Systems have been developed initially as 4S/4M

and 6S/6M configuration to serve 2 and 3 axle vehicles.
Further axles need to be covered by indirect control of
wheels. With advancement of the algorithm it was possible
to manage medium and light duty trucks with 4S/3M and
even 4S/2M configurations still covering the legal
performance requirements.
Nevertheless the NA market is always using 4S/4M
application to not trade performance vs. cost and ESC
applications requesting minimum 4S/4M applications.
A combination of tractor and semitrailer could be
considered as well as ONE vehicle. System layout for such
vehicle then to be considered in case of tractor /trailer with
function like ABS or just either one of the units equipped
with such safety function. The performance and safety
benefit shall always better then the combination without
any safety feature. Therefore it is already a benefit if the
tractor only is equipped with ABS or ESC or similar safety
features.

Figure 8. Industrialization
COST OF SAFETY
What is the owners benefit? What does it cost? With
increasing
penetrations
and
continuous
design
improvements such advanced braking systems become
really affordable. What is the cost of a human life is
certainly not the right question. With increasing complexity
of braking systems and attached sensors there is an increase
of the systems cost. But considering the savings due to
avoided or in their effect limited accidents and the damage
to load and persons there is a significant savings amount to
be achieved. Big fleets already obtained the benefit of
savings per mile when having such safety features on
board.

VALIDATION
Brake calculations, Performance simulation and driving
tests are required to confirm the performance of all
functions in the real vehicle. With the availability of a test
track for all dynamic conditions and the necessary
equipment like load cages, overall protections and anti jack
knife devices such test can be conducted. System
integration needs to be confirmed and working
communication with other vehicle control systems as well
of set of parameters to be determined for this special type of
vehicles.

FUTURE OUTLOOK
The application of ESC has started in Year 2000
nevertheless there are still not all applications covered with
best performance such as multiple trailer controls or all
wheel driven vehicles with multiple axles. Beside
applications the validation of such systems need to become
more easy and needs further development work to be
achieved in short term.

After the successful validation of the functional

performance in a given vehicle the official type approval
can be achieved.

To cover all these requirements for global platforms the

hardware and the software of the system needs to be
modular and applicable to all kind of vehicles.

In conjunction with these advanced control systems there is

the demand upcoming to record available data during or
before and after brake events. With available memory
capacity it shall be possible to store all kind of data in the
controller and create a vehicles log book in the memory.

With further advanced developments such as automated

emergency braking systems the traffic safety will be further
improved and the efficiency is increasing.

It is still a challenge for engineers to let the commercial

vehicle fully being brake controlled by wire. As mentioned
before the function is available and already industrialized in
aircrafts the time has not come for industrialization in
commercial vehicles. Pneumatic redundancy is still
required and a cost contributor to the system. Future
developments projects will address this issue.

Today and in future it is the obligation of the suppliers of

such safety systems to design such systems that their usage
by the operator becomes a well accepted help and support
and do not overload the operators capabilities.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

To improve pre cash safety cameras are connected to

system and car to car communication provide information
about the environment ahead.

REINHARD SCHIMIDT
Product Market Team Leader, truck and bus brake systems.
reinhard.schimidt@wabco-auto.com
Hannover, Germany
IVAN C. IAZDI
Sales Manager South America
ivan.iazdi@wabco-auto.com
Sumare, Brazil

REFERENCES
[1] WABCO. Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and AntiSlip Regulation (ASR). 2nd Edition. 815 010 194 3. 2011.
Brussels.

Figure 9. Future Outlook Diagram

SUMMARY
Developments in braking system technology contributing to
the efficiency of transportation with commercial vehicles.
The number of accidents was and will be reduced in future.
This starting with a high performance braking system.
Additional developments such as ESC and OnGuard are
based on such generic braking system. New functions are
possible due to additional sensors and software power
added to the system. The customer value is coming out of
those new functions with better performance.
The base braking system allows for passive and active
activation by various vehicle control systems. Therefore
overall performance cans only as good as the braking
system.
The braking system needs to be modular to cover the
customer needs for regional application of function and
performance requirements. Such as certain countries still
today do request only the dual circuit braking system,
others requesting ABS and others, requesting ESC in
future.