- Breame’s Sensify brakes are fully electric
- It has announced that the first car will be produced with them.
- We still don’t know what brand of car will use them.
The biggest automotive revolution in years or a serious degradation of safety? That’s what drivers are wondering after parts maker Brembo announced that its all-electric Sensify brake-by-wire system will be incorporated into a production car, saying goodbye to traditional hydraulic brakes entirely.
Breame says Sensify uses data from the vehicle, driver, and environment (such as road conditions) to apply appropriate braking force to each wheel independently. According to the company, the system is safer as it provides a greater sense of stability compared to traditional braking and leads to a smoother braking experience, eliminating the panic that causes nervous passengers to reach for a handle, according to Breame.
He also argues that this system is easier to maintain because it does not require brake fluid and is apparently kinder to tires.
Article continues below.
While it is currently unknown who is behind the vehicle that will deploy Sensify (although we know it has worked with Tesla, Ferrari, and Maserati), the FAQ on the product page emphasizes Sensify’s usefulness in autonomous vehicles, especially in a fleet that can share driving data between multiple vehicles, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Sensify’s customer has big autonomous vehicle ambitions.
An accident waiting to happen?
Seeing this story on my timeline today, my initial reaction matched that of many online: “Surely that can’t be safe.”
While our technology is typically incredibly reliable, we’ve all experienced failures. Normally these problems involve a little frustration for a few minutes, but if an electrical problem occurs when trying to brake, the consequences could be a much bigger problem.
But since I spent a little time researching things, an electric braking system is not as scary as it seems at first glance.
First, many of us probably won’t be using our hydraulic brakes as often in 2026: hybrid and electric vehicles still have them, but they also offer regenerative braking that slows the car while recharging it, and many drivers rely on that for their daily commutes.
Second, it’s not that hydraulic brakes are perfect. They wear out parts and can also fail or have reduced effectiveness if not properly cared for.
As for security, Breame has been working on this technology for years, and it was first introduced five years ago in 2021, so I hope it has solved several problems by now. Furthermore, cars are highly regulated. If a manufacturer wants to implement this technology, it is probably confident that it has the necessary safety measures in place to convince regulators that it is roadworthy.
As with all new technology, we’ll have to wait and see how the rollout progresses, but if things go as Breame hopes, 2026 could be the beginning of the end for hydraulic brakes.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds.
