Last Updated on June 16, 2021
Brake by wire technology is a type of car braking technology where the brakes are powered and controlled by electricity. You will see brake by wire technology in a lot of the newer electric cars and hybrid cars. Formula 1 cars have used this technology in their rear brakes since 2014.
A lot of mainstream automobiles have integrated brake by wire technology into their parking brakes as well. This technology is certainly a step up from the traditional braking technology which included hoses, pumps, belts, and fluids. Now there are electronic sensors inside of master cylinders.
See Also: Advantages of Drive by Wire Technology
Notable Vehicles That Use Brake-by-Wire Technology
There are not too many cars which use brake by wire technology, although it is becoming more popular as electric technology in vehicles gets improved. Below are the top 5 cars which have used brake by wire technology over the last 10 or so years.
#1 – Toyota Prius Hybrid
Toyota became the first automaker to use brake by wire technology in their cars. They called this technology “electronically controlled brake,” which is known as ECB in the United States. As hybrid technology was first taking off, The Prius Hybrid was one of the first cars in America to have brake by wire technology.
#2 – Lexus RX 400h
Most people know Lexus as a luxury vehicle brand. In their 2005 RX 400h model, they introduced the brake by wire technology into it. Since Lexus is actually a division of Toyota, they both share the same electronically controlled braking system.
#3 – Mercedes Benz E
This car introduced their brake by wire technology in the 2005 model of the Mercedes Benz. However, they eventually discontinued the technology as it was a bit premature at the time. They are currently testing out new versions of the technology in their latest models.
#4 – Mercedes Benz SL
This was another version of the Mercedes Benz which used an early version of the brake-by-wire technology. It also became discontinued around the same time.
#5 – Alfa Romeo Giulia
Known for its incredible styling (and unfortunately its unreliability according to many), Alfa Romeo is utilizing a brake-by-wire system developed by Continental. It will be used in both the Giulia and Stelvio models.
#6 – Chevrolet C8 Corvette
As one of the best values in performance, the new C8 Corvette is also utilizing brake-by-wire tech. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, a recall has been issued due to an issue with materials used in manufacturing the sensor. It affects other models as well.
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What If Brake-by-Wire Fails?
You might be wondering what would happen if your car battery fails and you have no electricity being produced to control the braking system. Fortunately, vehicles with a brake by wire system will brake just fine.
In case of failure, a valve opens up that completely bypasses all electronics and uses the standard hydraulic braking system.
What is with BMW, Ford, Mazda,Audi,Mini,FCA,Volvo… ? They are also utilizing continental MKC1 by wire system in lot of models!
Brake by wire isn’t inherently bad, and it often has a hydraulic backup in case there is an issue with the electronics. It is the way of the future, so we’re likely to see more manufacturers implement brake by wire as time goes on (especially as we move toward electric vehicles).