Modular ABS Solution: Haldex's ABS 4.0

Haldex has launched its fully modular ABS 4.0 trailer braking system, designed to meet diverse market needs and regulatory standards. This platform allows OEMs to provide various ABS and EBS configurations in both 12- and 24-volt systems. The system also integrates the latest legislative updates, offering a future-proof solution.

Key Highlights:

Fully modular design adaptable for different global markets
Integration with TPMS and new regulations (R141 and R156)
Enhanced environmental benefits due to lightweight components
Compatibility with 12-volt and 24-volt systems

Eight years in development, Haldex’s ABS 4.0 now delivers a versatile platform enabling customers to streamline production and comply with regional standards without changing suppliers. This innovation simplifies the engineering of pneumatic trailer braking systems for various markets.

“This is a future-proof platform,” says Haldex’s senior commercial product manager, Alexander Kraus. “It’s a modular design, and it’s easy to upgrade to EBS, because the piping is the same, the cabling is the same, and the mounting positions and mounting pins are the same.”

Haldex’s ABS 4.0 facilitates economies of scale, allowing customers to produce one product line for different ABS configurations, including basic ABS, premium ABS, ABS with roll-over protection, and EBS.

Alexander Kraus explains, “Conventional ABS is still utilized in 80% of all trailers in the USA, but in Europe, most trailers moved to its electronic successor EBS around 20 years ago. Previously, different products were needed for different applications.”

Now, with Haldex’s ABS 4.0, a single global trailer braking platform can cater to these regional variations. The system is expected to be predominantly built around a 24-volt architecture but is also adaptable to 12-volt systems common in agricultural trailers.

Another significant advantage is compliance with new regulations, particularly in Europe. The new legislation (R141) mandates TPMS in trailers from May 2024, and ABS 4.0 fully integrates this feature. The system also meets upcoming legislation (R156) for software management updates in Europe.

Environmental benefits are another highlight, with ABS 4.0 being lighter due to its use of engineering-grade plastic components, which reduces waste and increases trailer load capacity.

How ABS 4.0 Works:

The platform consists of three main modules: the electronic control unit (ECU), the solenoid valve, and the pressure modulators, all connected to a manifold base. For advanced functions, such as EBS, additional modular components can be added, including a pressure protection valve, pneumatic auxiliary module, mobilizer, and a spring brake control module.

“A minimum of two wheel-speed sensors are connected to the ECU,” explains Kraus. The ECU constantly compares vehicle speed with wheel speed to detect and prevent wheel lock. It energizes the solenoid to interrupt airflow from the brake pedal to the brake chamber, releasing the brake as needed.

For ABS with roll-over stability, an additional solenoid can apply the brakes. “Conventional ABS can only release brakes; it cannot apply brakes,” says Kraus. “But in the roll-over stability version, the accelerometer inside the ECU can sense dangerous inclinations and apply the brakes.”

The modular design extends to software as well, with basic software for ABS and additional layers for auxiliary control and device connectivity like TPMS. This modular approach is also utilized in the production line, ensuring easy assembly, pre-testing, and maintenance.

Haldex provides a comprehensive testing service for any specialist applications, ensuring functionality and compliance with type-approval standards. The company’s extensive experience in ABS technology since 1980 has culminated in ABS 4.0, offering an adaptable platform for all trailer configurations and markets.

Haldex’s ABS 4.0 represents the pinnacle of modular, adaptable trailer ABS technology, providing a versatile and future-proof solution for the global market.

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