The braking distance of a vehicle is the distance it takes to come to a standstill from a certain speed. It is influenced by various factors, such as the driver's reaction, the road surface, the brakes and the vehicle’s assistance systems.
Modern cars are equipped with a variety of sensors and technologies that can positively influence the safe stopping distance. These include ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and numerous other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). These systems continuously monitor the vehicle dynamics and intervene during the braking process to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop while remaining in the lane.
Brake measurement is an integral part of efforts to increase road safety. Modern cars are equipped with increasingly advanced assistance systems that support the driver and intervene in an emergency. These technologies help to master or even avoid dangerous situations.
Brake performance measurement requires precise, fast-reacting sensors and data acquisition. The detection of emergency braking requires highly dynamic signal changes that must be captured and analyzed every millisecond.
Braking distance and speed measurement must be carried out using optical sensors that scan the road surface without contact. This is the only way to achieve high-precision braking distance measurement that is not influenced by blocked wheels. This type of braking distance measurement is known as slip-free.
Collecting data on the brake performance of an automobile opens new possibilities for car manufacturers' engineering teams to design control units and brake systems more efficiently and to coordinate them across dispersed teams.
Overall, brake performance measurement as a part of vehicle dynamic measurement testing is critical to increasing the safety of vehicle occupants.
