FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. ― Chassis Brakes International has developed a new family of Boost Automated Parking Brakes (APBs) especially designed for vehicles equipped with an Electric Brake Booster (EBB).

The innovation is that it will enable automakers to plus up, or “boost” light vehicle brakes to accommodate heavier hybrid vehicles without trading up to more expensive and heavier duty brakes.

Designed and engineered at the company’s research and development center in France, the new APB Boost family from Chassis Brakes will be launched on new vehicles during the 2021 model year.

APBs in general account for more than 32 percent of the total global market for parking brakes and their popularity continues to grow. Chassis Brakes currently holds a 20-percent share of the market.

“Increased APB clamping force performance is achieved by combining the APB with hydraulic pressure support provided by the EBB through software applications,” says Bernd Schemer, global vice president of Sales, Engineering and Project Management at CBI.

Schemer noted that electric, hybrid-electric and autonomous vehicles in the future will require more complex brake-control strategies, adding that the company’s APB Boost system is another step in the evolution of wheel brakes from mechanical towards mechatronic systems.

Current APBs provide distinct advantages to new car and truck buyers, automotive designers and engineers in terms of function, form and flexibility. The addition of APB Boost’s even greater clamping
force through advanced control strategies allows Chassis Brakes to maintain a compact design, while improving performance. The company’s APB systems also help reduce weight and mass for improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.

APBs replace large mechanical parking-brake levers and pedals to optimize interior space. There are no lengthy cables or levers to engineer, which saves space, simplifies assembly processes and eliminates the need for parking-brake adjustments and pre-sets.

A small APB activation switch also can be located conveniently for driver use. For increased safety, the parking brake can be programmed to apply automatically when the car is stopped or when the transmission is put into Park as well.

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